Shadow of Nothing
by Sara Moon
Summary: "My body aches to breathe your breath...Your words keep me alive..." Mai x Naru Pairing - Complete!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Well, here is the first chapter of my new story! **WARNING**!!!!! Adult themes and explicit content in later chapters! Please respect the rating! This story is going to take on a kind of romance novel feel just to let you know what the characterization is going to be like. It may seem a little OOC but that is due to the type of story! Anyway, please enjoy and review!

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Shadow of Nothing

A tea kettle sounded loudly startling the occupant of the room. She moved quickly to the kettle and began to pour several glasses of tea…begrudgingly. Mai was having a bad day, no, a horrible day.

For some reason she couldn't fall asleep at all the night before and roused with a splitting headache. She burned her toast and was late to school. She forgot her homework, was yelled at by the teacher, and fell down the stairs giving several of the third year male students an up close and personal view of her underwear. Not to mention that when she fell she twisted her ankle and got a nasty bruise on her hip that was still causing her pain at that very moment.

Of course, it was just her luck that there was going to be a meeting at the office today. Yesterday Naru had taken a call himself and had instructed her to contact the others and let them know that there was going to be an informational meeting with the client today and that he requested their presence since, if he decided to accept the case, he wanted them all there first hand to hear the details themselves. Mai decided that Naru was just too lazy to re-state everything to the others if he did take the case…she wouldn't put it past him.

True to her previous mishaps of the day, Mai had been held after school to aid in chores and other menial tasks…making her late. On her way to the office she was held up on the subway making her already late status even later. By the time she made it to the office and entered the client was already there and in conversation. Already feeling like an idiot Mai tried to slip by without notice before she caught a glimpse of her boss, who was, for all practical purposes, giving her the death glare.

She froze and wilted under its intensity before trying to slink away even more depressed as before…but there was no way he was going to let her go that easily…

"Mai" he brought all attention to her and the people of the room stared at her before he finished; "Tea."

"Yes…" she replied meekly. This truly was a bad, bad day.

She silently entered the room and knelled by the table where she placed a warm glass of tea in front of each person and made a move to rise and leave.

"Stay" a simple cold voice stated. She looked up at her boss as she was already subconsciously settling back down into a sitting position.

She wanted to snap at her boss harshly…but that would have been rude given the situation since he never once took his attention from the client even when he had told her to stay. Unfortunately for Mai, her position on the floor was greatly uncomfortable given her injuries from earlier in the day. But for now, just for the client, Mai would put up with it with clenched teeth.

Mai sat restlessly listening to the conversation. Apparently the client was an Okami-san from a hot spring inn about three hours out of town in a rustic resort location. Her inn was small but very popular and well rated. How ever, recently she stated that there had been several strange occurrences that could not be explained. Many of the staff complained of seeing ghostly figures, hearing strange noises, and waking up to frigid temperatures even though it was warm outside. Things started to degrade, she stated, when several of her maids committed suicide only a few days to a week apart from one another. All the women were happy, productive, and otherwise normal people. Many felt that was why it was the work of whatever was haunting the inn since the women seemed to have no such inclination. The police stated that since the women were relatively young, aged 16 to 24, that there must have been personal reasons for their actions and that they must not have discussed the problems with anyone; even after five girls had died the police deemed each death an open and shut case. Fearing for the welfare of her other maids, guests, and the livelihood of her business the Okami-san had sought out help from SPR.

Naru looked deep in thought, as did the other members of their team. In Mai's opinion the case sounded pretty interesting, and usually Naru would jump all over a case that was interesting…but for some reason he was hesitating. Mai stole a glance and the boy and to her surprise she found him genuinely troubled.

"In total how many girls have died?" Naru asked seriously. The others looked at the older woman as she lowered her gaze.

"Six in total" she said in a soft voice.

"Ages?"

"The first was 21…" she paused to think for a moment, "then the next two were both 17. The next was almost 23 followed by a 16 year old and finally a 24 year old." She looked so very sad, almost as if there was something more…something tragic that she was unable to say.

Naru exchanged a glance at Lin before fixing Mai with a glare. Mai couldn't help but wonder what his problem was. 'He couldn't be…' she thought as her eyes widened slightly. 'Was he asking about the ages…because…' her eyes widened even more and a blush threatened to burst over her cheeks.

"We will accept your case. We'll need a room that can serve as our base of operations and at least two rooms for our personal use while we are staying investigating at your inn." Naru's voice was business like but it brought Mai harshly back to reality where she found the Okami-san nodding gratefully.

"Yes, I can arrange that. When can I expect to see you?" She kindly asked.

Naru glanced at everyone, "if possible tomorrow before noon."

"That will work fine." She smiled and bowed deeply before bidding everyone farewell.

Once she had left everyone started to discuss the case among themselves, including Naru and Lin.

Mai noticed that Ayako and Bou-san both had finished their tea, and of course Naru's glass had mysteriously gone empty as well. She decided that she might as well go make more tea and save Naru the satisfaction of ordering her to do so. Mai stood and was about to grab cups to place upon her tray when she placed weight on her injured ankle. It didn't help matters by sitting on it the way she had. She rapidly sucked in a breath of air through clenched teeth from the pain, refusing to cry out in the presence of her boss. The action had the exact opposite effect as she had hoped since she had taken a step back recoiling from the pain and was quite angry to find herself losing her balance. It was just not her day.

In a glorious display of unbalance, Mai toppled over crashing into Naru's chair hard. In her effort to catch her self on his arm rest she succeeded in propelling herself into falling directly on the stunned man. She would have continued forward on to the other side of the chair had Naru not grabbed on to her waist and held on. When all was said and done and Mai was finally collected enough to notice her situation the first thing she noticed were the stunned and flushed faces of her coworkers looking at her in bewildered amusement.

She was resting at a downward angle that much she could tell but it wasn't until she looked behind her that she realized the cause of all the expressions she was receiving. Yep, she really did it this time. Her skirt had flipped up in the fall exposing in all their full glory, her panties. And of course…that was not the worst of it. A deep blush broke across her face as she tried to squirm away…for her exposed butt was only a matter of inches away from her boss's face.

Mai had to give the teen credit though. She was amazed that in such a situation he was still able to keep his face calm and was even giving a look of mild irritation and annoyance. Maybe her butt was not attractive enough to illicit a decent reaction? Now, that thought made her day that much worse.

She tried to squirm away again but this time she could feel resistance as Naru's hold held good.

"Idiot…" he sighed, "if you move like that you are going to fall flat on your face." He moved his hands so that they were resting on her hips; it was almost like he was trying to move her closer to him…

Before she knew it another pair of strong arms had weaved their way around her shoulders and under her arms. With one easy pull she was lifted upward and sat gently on the floor in front of the chair. Naru had guided her lower half of her body until just before she was safely on the ground. She looked up and found Lin staring at her…his face calm as ever.

"Thank you Lin-san." She said as she pushed her self up off the floor only to start to fall over again immediately. This time Naru was up from his seat and there to catch her before she fell. He slipped a protective arm around her waist and used his other as a counter weight. He squeezed her close as he waited for her to gain her footing and her composure…her face was bright red. Even though he would never let it show, he was smiling warmly at her reaction.

"Ah…uh…Thank you Naru…" she fumbled but didn't let go of his arm. She glanced at Masako who was trying to hide a malicious jealous glare behind her dainty little kimono sleeve. Feeling slightly victorious, Mai sent the medium a silly grin before Lin's voice pulled her out of her rejoicings.

"Are you alright, Mai-san?" He was looking at her with a truly concerned look.

"Ah, yes…I am alright really! My legs just fell asleep from sitting there so long…that's all!" She hit her hip in emphasis before she remembered she had deeply bruised it earlier. She winced in pain but held it in well enough to fool the man in front of her. If she had been able to see behind her she would have seen Naru narrow his eyes at her. She couldn't hide anything from him…

"Here, let me help you" the Chinese man outstretched and arm and Naru reluctantly released his hold on her as his assistant helped her to the couch to sit down.

"Thank you!" she smiled brightly as she engaged in conversation with the others. By the time they had all finally left leaving Naru, Lin, and Mai alone in the office at least 20 minutes had passed of them mocking the poor girl endlessly. Masako had spent the time silently sending her death glares, while John was trying to placate the situation and Ayako and Bou-san vowed to never let here forget her embarrassing actions.

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Mai sighed as she was finally able to relax. She dreaded the teasing she was going to get from the Miko and the Monk in the days to come…but she supposed any interaction was better than none. Even though they would be teasing her she knew they truly cared for her and that thought alone made her happy; but on this day in which everything was going wrong the littlest thing would do to cheer her up.

"What really happened?" A dreadfully cold voice rang through the office. Mai looked up to see Naru leaning against the door frame of his personal office, glaring at her.

"What ever do you mean?" She asked in a huff deciding to play it dumb.

"You can't fool me, now tell me what happened." His voice lowered slightly sending a chill up Mai's spine. She slowly turned to face him…those eyes should be illegal.

"Nothing serious…" she admonished quietly. Naru raised a brow and didn't need to ask more since he was already saying it with his eyes. "I just…fell…"

"Fell?" he questioned hiding his concern.

"Yeah, down like two flights of stairs at school…Oh, but I went to the nurses office and she said it was just a sprained ankle and a bruised hip…nothing serious…just need to stay off it…for…awhile…" she finished in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Hmm…" He seemed to be in thought.

"What?"

"Maybe you should stay home for this case and stay off your feet. Knowing you and your stupidity you would probably only re-injure yourself if you came…" he said while a smirk formed on his face.

"No!" she jumped up from her seat on the couch, "I can still go! Don't worry; it will be fine by tomorrow!" She pleaded with her best puppy eyes she could muster.

He gave her a dubious look before pushing off from the wall, "fine." He looked at her again, "but if it becomes too much trouble looking after you then I want you to stay quietly in the base and don't complain, understand?" He decided that he rather have her close where he could keep an eye on her than alone at home where who knows what trouble she would get into and probably hurt herself even more.

"Yep!" She smiled brightly at him. His heart thumped uncomfortably in his chest and he turned away before she noticed his conflict.

"Sit down and stay there for a bit…" he said as he entered his office, "Lin and I will give you a ride home." With that he closed his door and failed to see the dazzling and loving expression the girl was sending his way.

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A/N: Please review and let me know how you liked it! PLEASE RESPECT THE RATING! It will get MUCH more explicit with adult themes in the next few chapters! Thank you for reading! 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you to all that reviewed! This is a whole new story by the way, my prequel and sequel to "Lost Before the Dawn" are still in the works at the moment! I wanted to finish this story first before I started the others!

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Mai awoke the next morning to not much better circumstances as she had seen the day before. Once again she had a restless night in which she got little sleep and of course she was running late to the office. Rather than taking the risk of burning down her apartment by making breakfast, Mai skipped it all together…an act that she was sure she would regret later. Making things worse she had failed to plan ahead the night before and did not pack a single thing for the investigation.

Mai ran around her small apartment frantically throwing things into a backpack. Undoubtedly, she would forget something, or many things as it were, that she would desperately need. She jetted out of her apartment thankfully remembering to lock the door and have her key in her pocket. Things might just be going better today…

As her foot hit the second step of the flight of stairs leading down she vaguely thought, 'Nope…not better at all…'

In her haste to leave Mai was traveling down the steps at too fast a pace and slipped when her sore ankle was taxed with too much pressure and gave way. Mai fortunately had been holding onto the hand rail when she fell so she only succeeded in crashing to her butt and sliding down about four or five steps before coming to a stop. 'Great…now I am going to have a bruised butt…just what I needed…' Mai thought darkly as she stood and rubbed her sore bottom. The fall was defiantly going to leave a mark.

True to her misfortune, Mai arrived late to the office. She immediately knew it was going to be bad when she saw that the van was all packed, ready and waiting. Even Bou-san's car was parked next to it neatly packed with the luggage and carry bags. Mai shuttered at the sight and slowly made her way up to the office; there was no reason to hurry after all considering there was going to be no way out of the impending doom that she was going to face from her boss.

Mai trudged up the stairs and reluctantly opened the door to the office. She didn't bother to say anything as she entered, considering nothing was going to save her now. Sure enough, as soon as she walked through the threshold she was faced with a mass of bewildered gazes and one single glare that was burning holes through her head. Mai wondered briefly what Naru would do with such a power; burning holes in people with that evil glare of his…probably use it to kill idiots like her.

"I had a bit of trouble getting here…" she didn't have a chance in hell of finishing for Naru verbally jumped on her before she could really even start.

"Do you realize what time it is, Mai?" he asked in a cold, dark tone. Mai flinched but responded.

"Yes…" she answered shyly.

"And you did know what time to be here by, correct?" He shot her more death glares.

"Yes…" she scoffed a bit.

"So, please enlighten me as to why you were unable to match the two and be here on time." He crossed his arms authoritatively awaiting her answer.

'Jerk' Mai thought heatedly as she tried to quickly come up with an excuse that would work. She had none. Anything that came to mind she knew would be shot down instantly and would only further his session of harassing her. He would call her an idiot and then probably make some comment about her staying in school so that she didn't degrade into more of an idiot and so on and so forth. Mai huffed. There was no way she was going to give him the pleasure of that.

"I don't have a reason why I am late…" she smirked, "but I thought you would have discerned the reason for your self while you were driving me home last night. I mean you clearly saw…that" her smirk widened as she emphasized the word 'that' and shot a triumphant glance as Masako who was probably snarling or something akin to it behind the sleeve of her kimono.

Naru's eyes widened the slightest bit. 'This girl…' he thought with a grin while looking at his battle ready assistant. She knew how to rile him up like no one else could. "Hmmm…" he smirked back, "I suppose you did but I was under the assumption that it was not so great as to cause you delay this morning…" his grin deepened, "but I suppose for an idiot like you it can. Get to the van; you have wasted enough of our time." He inwardly smiled at her reaction. She always had the greatest reactions to his antics, 'Cute…' he thought as he watched her mouth drop open and stare at him dumbfounded. That expression fell as her anger rose flushing her cheeks with bright red and her face pouted while she clenched her fists. He didn't tease the girl for nothing…

"Ah…gr…Naru!" she attempted to shout but the others effectively silenced her as they grabbed her and headed out the door.

"Easy there Mai-chan" Bou-san patted her head as they made their way to the vehicles, "we still have a long drive ahead of us. It would be a shame to lose either of you before we even got there!" he smiled at her warmly.

"Yeah, yeah I get it" she huffed angrily. She was still mad and still really wanted to hurt her arrogant boss. Just the sight of his cool, collected, and absolutely gorgeous face pissed her off.

"Now, now Mai…" Ayako was suddenly at her side whispering in her ear while leaning on her shoulder, "what happened last night after we left?" she sported an eager expression. Mai immediately blushed which only increased the caddy miko's curiosity.

"N-nothing…" Mai stuttered out before she rushed off towards the van where she would be riding with Lin and Naru leaving Ayako behind to fester her interest with Masako, John, and Bou-san.

Lin watched what had just transpired with a bemused expression. He knew that the miko would be relentless until she got to the bottom of what had happened the night before. In truth, nothing had happened. He knew since he was the one who drove. Mai apparently had hurt her ankle earlier in the day and Naru requested that they drive her to her apartment. Once in the back seat of his car she had fallen asleep against her window, softly breathing clouding up a small circle on the glass. Only Lin knew how his boss looked at the girl when he thought no one was looking.

That night Naru had gently awoken the girl, though she still seemed to be mostly asleep when he had helped her all the way to her door and even guided her safely inside and to her bed before returning back to the car. Yes, Lin knew all too well how the boy looked at her when she was not around to see…

Lin sighed as he saw the girl rushing towards him; she really shouldn't be pushing that ankle so much. He slipped into the driver's seat and watched as she hopped up into the passenger seat and smiled at him before sliding over to sit in the middle spot of the bench seating. Naru soon followed and sat next to her before he closed the door and they were off.

Mai had long since gotten used to the awkward drives that awaited her on investigations. She had learned that conversation, well engaging conversation anyway, was impossible and she no longer even attempted it. She also picked up that use of the radio was apparently forbidden. So for trips like this Mai always packed her trusty MP3 player to keep her occupied while staring at the passing scenery while Naru miraculously was able to read a book or some other material that probably related to work in some way or the other.

Yep, this day was no better than yesterday. She forgot her music player…it was like she was dead in the water so to speak. She had no idea what to do with her self now. She turned this way and that but could find no way out…no way to alleviate her growing boredom. She started to fidget and squirm in her seat which finally gained the slight attention of the boy sitting to her right.

"If you have to go to the bathroom, we are not wasting time to do so. You should have gone before we left. Since you were so inordinately late, I would have imagined that you would have done so in that time…" he said condescendingly. She blushed immediately and Naru smiled on the inside. Lord knows he loves that expression.

"I don't have to go to the bathroom!" she shouted rather forcefully at him causing him to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Then, pray do tell, what is the matter?" He asked in the way that meant he really didn't care to know but if she was going to keep up her annoying actions he might as well hear the reason way.

"I…have nothing to do…" she looked at him seriously. "I forgot my music player…and so…um…"

"Here" he shifted over a stack of papers on to her lap. She looked down at them with surprise and he smirked. This was going to be entertaining. "You can read those in preparation for the case since you are bored" he grinned knowingly as she started at them in shock. Much to his surprise, and disappointment in lack of resistance, Mai complied without much fuss and started to shift through the papers silently.

Just as Naru had predicted, it was only a matter of time before Mai's head nodded forward as she tried to continue reading the pages of the text and was asleep. Naru easily caught her before her head drifted forward and hit the dash…she didn't need any trauma to her head since she needed all the brain cells she could get.

Lin smiled softy to him self as he pretended to be paying attention to the road. He watched in amusement as Naru debated with him self on what to do with the sleeping girl he had caught with his free arm. Let her rest back on the seat? No, she would probably fall forward. Let her rest on Lin? No, he was driving. Lin watched out of the corner of his eye as Naru finally came to the only logical solution; let her rest sleeping against him. Naru's face and inner contemplations were so amusing Lin almost chuckled out loud but held it in as he watched his young boss shift the sleeping girl so that she was lying on her side with her head resting in his lap.

Satisfied with the solution and the position the girl was in; Naru resumed his research and pretended as if nothing had happened at all. It remained this way for almost two hours of the ride and all was peaceful. With a little over an hour left until they reached the inn Mai became restless and started to mumble and stir. This had startled Naru but he refused to let it show and tried to remain indifferent. It was not long after that Mai tossed in such a way that she hit Naru hard with a curled up fist directly in his crotch.

Lin watched as the boy immediately stiffened and groaned hoarsely at the pain of the impact before trying to settle back down. He still wore a pained and shocked expression when he tried to take the sleeping girl's hands into his own to prevent the occurrence from happening again. He would like to have kids some day, and after that blow he was debating how many more like that he could take before that dream became impossible.

Luckily for the men the remaining hour of the trip was uneventful and quiet. Mai began to wake shortly before pulling into the inn and Naru quickly returned her to her original position before she even realized she had been sleeping in any other spot than what she was. Naru smirked at his ruefulness as he saw Mai's dazed expression as they parked the van and opened the doors to exit.

"Mai" Naru called as he exited the van, "stop wasting time and start unloading." He grinned as she looked around confused before he watched as realization washed over her and she all but fell out of the van in her haste to do as he had ordered. Naru made a mental note to watch what he said in the future to take her injury into account.

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A/N: Well, there you have it! Please review! The actual plot will start in the next chapter! DUN DUN DOOON! The CASE! 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you to all that have reviewed! I love you guys! Remember this is "M" Rated and this will be the last chapter that is "soft"...

I own NOTHING! Though I wish I did...

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In a little under a hour they had talked with the Okami-san, had been directed to their rooms, and had unloaded the equipment and their luggage. Setting up took some time, but the base room was soon looking like it should and they were ready and waiting for orders on what to do next.

"Hey, Masako" Ayako voiced up as they were waiting for Naru and Lin to return, "Do you sense anything here?"

She looked rather strained for a moment before she spoke, "I do…but it is a very strange feeling. I am not sure if it is just one spirit…or multiple, or even if it is malicious or not. It feels as if something is clouding it from me."

"That is strange…" Bou-san chimed in, "do you feel anything Mai-chan?" Suddenly the eyes of not only the monk but the miko, medium, and priest were on her as well.

"Eh…um…" Mai raised her hands in defense that she wasn't really like that…but it was pretty hard to fool them now after all she had shown them she was capable of. In fact Mai had felt something as soon as she stepped foot in the inn. It was a strange feeling…one she had never felt before. There was a sudden japing pain throughout her body, but as soon as it had come it was gone. She had decided not to tell anyone about it since she didn't want to set off any alarms unnecessarily before they even really knew what was going on. "No, I don't feel anything now…but I did feel strange when I first walked in…but it passed rather quickly."

"Hmm…so you felt something too…" Bou-san looked to the medium that was hiding behind her sleeve. No doubt she was probably baring her teeth at her. Mai didn't much care though for she only was saying what she felt.

"Well let's get all of our luggage in order. Lin showed us the way to the rooms…come on Mai, Masako lets go." Ayako called as she grabbed her bag and started heading toward the door. Mai and Masako soon followed grabbing their own bags and following suit.

Once in their room Ayako started to unpack and set out the things she would need at night. Masako started to do the same but Mai paused as she watched the other women busy with their bags.

"Hey Masako what exactly did you feel when you entered the inn?" Mai questioned as she sat her bags down in the corner of the room. "With me it was a sudden jolt of pain…"

"Hmmm…" the medium paused, "yes, I would have to say it was like that with me too. But it disappeared so suddenly."

"Ayako did you feel anything?" Mai questioned.

"I didn't feel anything, and especially not anything like what you guys are talking about." She tossed some spare clothes onto the futon. "Do you think it's important?"

"Maybe…" Mai mused. She had a bad feeling about the inn but she couldn't quite place it. Every inch of her body was telling her to tuck tail and run. Her gut instinct was telling her that it was dangerous here but she didn't know why…

"Mai?" Masako was looking at her, "do you feel anything else?"

"Ah…no…I was just thinking." Mai held up her hands in defense. "I think I am going to run to the bathroom real quick." With that the other women nodded and Mai stashed away into the bathroom adjacent to the room. Once inside she could hear the others continuing to unpack and bustle around, talking here and there about things Mai couldn't quite make out.

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Suddenly Mai was struck with a sickening feeling and she sunk to the floor clasping a hand over her mouth. The next thing she knew she was standing in a room...a room at the inn it appeared.

"What the…?" Mai looked around confused. She decided she must be dreaming one of those dreams based on her surroundings and the images she was seeing. There was a girl in the room…one of the maids. Mai looked and realized it was one of the girls that had committed suicide. She turned away, not wanting to see the girl die but directly behind her stood a very sad looking Gene. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her gently around to face the image once again.

"You need to see this Mai…" he said softly, "it has already happened…there is nothing you can do."

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Naru was getting inpatient. He and Lin had returned to the base room roughly a hour ago to it being devoid of women. John and Bou-san had explained that the girls had left soon after they arrived to take their luggage to their room. Being women they could not just drop off the bags into the room and come back. No, by 'taking their luggage to their room' not only entailed taking it there but also unpacking it and sorting it. This of course could not be done efficiently by any means since they would have to talk about every little thing while slowly going about everything at a snail's pace.

Even with that being the case Naru was annoyed by something else. Ayako and Masako had returned to the base about 20 minutes ago saying Mai was on her way but that she was taking care of some 'girl issue' in the bathroom so she might be awhile. At the very mention of 'girl issue' all males in the room immediately stiffened not wanting to think about what that actually meant or actually entailed.

But now Naru and the others were sitting there continuing to wait for the teenage girl. It had been at least a half an hour since Ayako had assured him that she was on her way back.

"Maybe I should go check on her" Ayako offered softly. She stood and rushed to the door and began to slide it open but as she was doing so it was opened from the other side revealing the Okami-san, her husband, and the head maid. "Oh! I am sorry!" Ayako moved to the side and allowed them in.

"You wished to talk to us Shibuya-san?" The older woman looked to Naru and when he nodded in affirmation she and the others sat down formally in front of the group. Apparently Naru and Lin had set up this time for preliminary interviews with the owner and her husband.

Ayako took this opportunity to slip from the room and look for Mai. She quickly made her way down the hall and entered their room. Mai was nowhere in sight. "Mai?" she called apprehensively as she frantically scanned the room.

"I'm in here…" a weak voice called from the bathroom on the other side of the room.

"Mai?" Ayako walked toward the bathroom and tapped lightly on the door, "Mai, what is going on? Can I come in…?"

There was no response but Ayako could hear movement within the room. "Ayako…I'm…can you just tell Naru and the others that I am going to stay in here…for awhile?"

"Mai, tell me what is wrong…I can probably help you if you let me know what's going on." She paused when she didn't hear a reply, "Is it your period? Do you need some medicine or tampons or something? I can run to the store and get some for you." She offered but that didn't seem to illicit a reply either.

Mai groaned. How was she was supposed to tell Ayako what was going on? Simple…she wasn't going to. There was no way to put this problem into words. Ayako continued to ramble on.

"Cramps…Mai are you having cramps? Or maybe did something happen with a boy? You know you can talk to me about things like that…like sex and you know…things like that. I know you probably don't have anyone else to talk to about such things…so I hope you think of me as someone you can talk to about anything, Mai…"

"I do, Ayako. I really do. And trust me I haven't had sex yet…so it is not that. I really just don't feel well…probably something I ate this morning. Can you just please tell Naru I am going to stay here awhile?" Mai pleaded through the door from where she sat on the floor curled up against the back of the door with her knees pulled up to her chin.

Ayako hesitated, 'she must be feeling really bad if she doesn't even want me to come in…' She sighed, "Okay Mai, I will go tell Naru that you are sick but I don't know what he is going to say so just be prepared." With that Ayako reluctantly left the room and made her way gingerly back to the base. She slid the door open and found Naru and the others deep in conversation with the clients with Lin rapidly typing the information down on his laptop. Before she had much chance to prepare herself for telling them Mai's message Naru stopped his questioning immediately and fixed her with a glare.

"Where is Mai? Naru asked coolly while drawing all attention to the miko.

"Well…uh…" she fidgeted a bit under his gaze, "Mai asked me to tell you all that she is not feeling well and that she would like to stay in the bathroom for a while."

"She can return back to the base and not feel well" he looked to the side of the room and noticed that the room they were using as the base also had a small bathroom attached to it. "Tell her that if she doesn't come here that she will be fired. I don't pay her to sit around and do nothing." Naru spoke in all seriousness in his sternest business like tone.

Ayako was taken aback but before she knew it she was already heading back to the door to go retrieve Mai. As she left the room and started to close the sliding door Naru spoke is a somewhat softer tone.

"Bou-san, accompany Matsuzaki-san in case Mai is not well enough to walk back here on her own." Naru shot a glance to the monk and then promptly returned to the work at hand.

Bou-san looked at Naru and then at Ayako before he wordlessly got up and walked out into the hall with the miko. Once alone in the hall he decided to get to the bottom of whatever was going on. "So, what girl issue is Mai having trouble with?" He looked to Ayako with a concerned but mused expression.

"Well…I don't really know she won't tell me anything." She sighed softly, "she shut herself up in the bathroom and all she said is that she was feeling sick."

"Like she is on her period and so she is having cramps sick or she ate something bad and wants to throw up sick? Or does she think she is coming down with the flu or a cold or something?"

"I really don't know. She said it wasn't her period but I don't know if that is because she doesn't want to talk to me about those kinds of things." Ayako looked down rather depressed.

"Don't worry too much about it. Knowing Mai she is probably just making a big deal over nothing and just doesn't want to concern Naru with it for fear of him calling her an idiot." Ayako smiled which he returned as they entered the room. Nothing had changed since the last time she was there so she knew that the girl had not left the bathroom.

"Mai?" Ayako called as she tapped on the door. "Are you still alive in there?"

"I'm alive…" Mai spoke up, "for now…" she finished too soft for them to hear.

"Mai…" Bou-san called, "Naru wants you to come back to the base. There is a bathroom there so he said you can stay in there."

"Can't I stay here?" Mai asked rather horrified at the aspect that she might have to leave her current position.

"No, he said if we don't help you go back to the base that you will be fired…" Ayako answered.

"…" Mai stared terrified off in front of her. What was she going to do now? If she went to the base…She didn't even want to think about what would happen if she went to the base. This whole situation was going from bad to worse and it was going there fast. But…she knew that Naru was serious in what he had said. He would not hesitate to fire her for hiding away in the bathroom without telling anyone what was wrong or letting anyone in. He had learned long ago not to leave her alone and it seemed he would be strictly enforcing that principle now.

"Mai?" Bou-san's voice startled her from her reservations and her head shot up. "If you can't get up or feel too sick to walk I can carry you…" he trailed off as he heard the girl groan from within the room.

Without a word the door was opened and Mai stepped out into the space and proceeded to walk toward the exit. Ayako and Bou-san were too stunned at the sight to do anything. They stood frozen in place as they watched her leave the room and walk into the hall.

Mai quickly made her way to the base. She was too embarrassed and much too scared to take anything slowly in her state. She felt rather cynical about the whole situation…as she was now…it was nothing of what was to come. Mai shuddered at the thought, though that was partially due to the temperature and from the images swirling around in her head that were actually making her sick for real.

She came to the sliding door of the base and took a deep breath as she forcefully slid it open and stepped inside. In truth not a single person seated within the room was prepared for what they saw when they looked up to see Mai enter; all but one that is. As soon as the Okami-san of the inn laid eyes on her she started to cry and quickly cover her mouth with her hands as if holding in her cries of sadness and pain. She folded forward and continued to sob while stifling agonizing noises of ache.

"Oh my god…" she wailed softly while her husband and the maid were trying to comfort her. "Oh my god…"

"Mai" Naru was visually shocked and displayed an expression rarely seen on his face. "What…" he was cut off as the Okami-san wailed mournfully.

"You are…you are…" she hiccuped and sniffled hard, "you are going to die!" The words stunned those in the room, including Ayako and Bou-san who had finally returned to the base following the girl. More than one of them wanted to asked what in the hell was going on but they were interrupted by Mai's laughter.

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A/N: Oh! What happened to Mai!?! Oh the suspense! Anyway, please let me know how you liked it! Starting in the next chapter things will be getting rather dark with adult content and themes! I never intended it to be that way (since you can tell from these first few chapters I was going for more of the humor, fun-loving, playful type story) but the story started to write itself and head in a totally different direction than what I had wanted! So, yeah...just be warned when you get to the next parts! 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So sorry for the late update but I lost internet and power here from a snow/ice storm! It was pretty nasty! Anyway, here is the next chapter and **WARNING** adult themes mentioned and foreshadowing adult events to come!

I still have no idea how my story turned out this way...but it did!

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"No…I will kill myself" Mai corrected her with a sigh as she tried to calm down her laughter. What could have been so funny even eluded her and she was the one doing it. Maybe it was the irony of it all, maybe it was the images whirling around in her mind of what was to come…she wasn't completely sure. "Slit my wrists, hang myself, stab my heart, overdose, drown, fall…there are endless possibilities."

"How…" the Okami-san stared wide eyed at the girl, "how did you…know."

Mai walked into the room and took a seat across from the woman and chuckled softly. "I saw it…"

"Saw it?" Naru reiterated and narrowed his eyes at his assistant. "What did you see, Mai?"

She turned her head and looked at him sadly. Her expression was so pained, so hurt that it startled the boy. "I saw them die…but it was already too late…for me."

"You'd better start explaining." He said darkly as he hit the table in front of him with force causing the girl to flinch. Before she had a chance to say anything, though she really had nothing to say in the first place, the Okami-san spoke up softly.

"Maybe I had better explain…" she trailed off and looked at her husband that silently gave her a supportive look. "There is something that I haven't told you yet about the deaths of my maids…"

"Continue…" Naru said darkly using a deadly low undertone.

"I told you that the maid's suicides were unnatural and about the strange occurrences before they started but what I failed to mention was the rather…hedonistic…nature of the events leading up to their deaths." She started to cry again and Naru noted Mai's disinterested expression and wandering attention; she probably already knew all of this and the fact that she had, once again, failed to share the information with him or any of the others started to piss him off.

"Go on" he pushed again impatiently.

"Well…" she hesitated as she sent a glance at Mai, "all the maids that died started out the same way as your assistant. One day they would refuse to leave their room and when finally forced they were as you see her; naked. When we would try and cover them up or persuade them to put on clothes they could not…"

"What do you mean 'could not'?" Bou-san questioned.

"They can not wear clothes or cover up. If they do, the girls will experience pain as if someone is punishing them for the action. They have to remain naked."

"And then…?" It was Lin's turn to ask. By the look in the woman's eyes he knew there was more…something horrible and dark at the back of her mind just waiting to be told.

Once again the woman stole a glance at Mai who continued to sit naked and disinterested in everything. She was trying desperately to occupy her mind with anything other than the current situation. Her cheeks sported a deep flush but she was trying not to let it show.

"They will stay that way for a day or so….then…it starts…"

"What starts?" John asked meekly, fearing the answer.

"The sexual harassment…" she answered softly. "It was like there was someone there…erotically harassing the girls. It was the same with every girl. In another day or so…they would be raped…" she trailed off as Ayako gasped and the others were too stunned to speak.

"Wha…what do you mean?" Ayako shakily asked.

"It's like I said. The girls were raped. It looked like they were having sex but only that the male counterpart was invisible…" she sniffled some more. "They were raped and taken repeatedly for days until finally…"

"They killed themselves" Mai looked at the woman. "But in truth they didn't want to die. It made them die…made them do what they did."

"Mai" Naru glared at the girl, "what more do you know?" She looked rather surprised at the question but answered anyway.

"That is all I know. I saw how each girl died…the first went into the bath and slit her wrists with a razor blade, the second hung herself from the tree out front, the third walked into the kitchen and took a knife to her heart, the fourth sat in her room and swallowed a handful of pills, the fifth drowned her self in the outdoor bath, and the sixth jumped off the second story balcony. I saw that in my dream. And I saw that they all didn't want to do it. Their faces were not the faces of girls that wanted to die…they were horrified at what they were doing yet they did it anyway…meaning that something else was making them do it. I think it was the thing that took them…raped them…I think it made them die." She finished weakly. She was on the verge of crying herself but was holding it in for her own sake. If she started to cry again over what she had seen then there wasn't much hope for her to remain strong and composed for what was to come.

Mai was not a very strong person. She was often overly sentimental and caring even when it hurt her to be so. She hated to see sad things and even if she didn't know the girls that had died, her heart went out to them. But right now…Mai decided she was going to get through this in a mature and calm way. Too many cases had gone by with Naru insulting her intelligence and her jumpy personality; happy one moment and heatedly angry the next; crying from sadness then being terrified in the next instance, but not this time. Mai decided she was not going to show Naru her absolutely mortified and crying face. She was not going to whine or cry nor complain at her misfortune. No, Mai was going to show Naru that she too could be mature and collected at times that she needed to be.

"So…" Mai started once again after inspecting the faces around her, "that is how it is. So you guys better start trying to figure out what is here and how to get rid of it."

"That's right…" the Okami-san interjected, "since all the girls died within four to seven days of them being unable to wear clothes."

"Understood" Naru coolly confirmed. "Bou-san and Hara-san, I want you to start inspecting the rest of the inn and see if you pick up anything. John, Matsuzaki-san, and Lin I want you to start setting up cameras in the locations that were discussed earlier. Mai…you are to stay here with me."

There were a few quick glances at one another but soon every one wordlessly complied and went on their way to complete their given tasks. The Okami-san, her husband, and her maid left as well since they were still running the inn and had a few guests to attend to. Once alone in the room Mai suddenly became very self conscious. She was after all stark naked sitting alone in front of the man she loved but would never admit to.

"Mai…" he started with his back to her, slowly turning to face her and fix her with a strong gaze. "I want you to tell me exactly what happened. I don't quite understand…"

Mai was rather surprised; her all knowing boss did not understand something…he is human after all. "I went earlier with Masako and Ayako to put our luggage away. I must admit as soon as I entered the inn I felt a sharp pain like something was jabbing me hard, but it was so fast I just dismissed it" Mai explained calmly. "While in the room talking with Masako I found out she felt it too…it was around that time that I went into the bathroom for something and I saw it…"

"Saw what?" Naru had moved to sit opposite of the girl. He could tell she was embarrassed at him being so close to her and looking at her. She was blushing a beautiful shade of red. She had crossed her ankles and brought her knees up to her chin and clasped her arms around them in an attempt to cover herself. It was the most adorable position he had ever seen the girl in…Naru was surprised at how captivated he was by her body. It was just a body…he was well educated in the realms of biology and anatomy. It wasn't like it was anything he hadn't seen before. But Mai's body…her slightly pink skin; it looked so soft and inviting.

Naru vaguely wondered what it would be like to touch…he wanted to see more of her, feel more of her, witness more of her expressions. Naru knew it was not the time for thinking like he was, but he couldn't help it…

"When I went into the bathroom I had a vision" Mai's voice brought him out of his wandering thoughts and he snapped back into reality. "I watched as the girls were stripped of their clothes forcefully by a presence. I saw that when they tried to put anything on they were hurt. I was there when they were taken and toyed with…and when they finally were killed…" she finished softly. "When I came to I was on the floor…I tried to get up but something was holding me down. Before I knew it all my clothes were pulled off and I was left like this. I too tried to cover up…but it hurt too much to continue…so I stayed this way. When Ayako and Masako said they were heading back I told them I was having problems and asked them to go on ahead. I am assuming Masako didn't feel anything when I was in there so I don't know what pulled off my clothes…but it felt like hands."

"You saw all the girls that were killed correct?" he asked sincerely.

"Yeah, why?" She looked up at him confused.

"Did you notice anything they had in common? Did they all have similar hair color or similar body structure?"

"Ah…no…" she trailed off when she realized he was trying to find the trend. She knew what the deciding factor was…what they all had in common. "What we all have in common…the reason it picked us and not the others is because it targets virgins…" she flushed and looked away.

"Virgins?" It finally clicked. The age range of the girls that had died…the girls were virgins…

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A/N: Please review, I love hearing from all of you! ...the dark decent of my story...it is only the beginning! 


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Okay, here is the next part! Please review! The story will get better...eventually...it stays dark pretty much until close to the end...

Warning: Contains un-consensual sexual situation

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"The feeling that both Masako and I felt when we got here...I can only that assume it was because out of the women that came here only she and I were virgins. I don't think there are anymore girls here that have been untouched and that could be why it moved on to me."

"Why you and not Hara-san?" he asked not really expecting her to know the answer but it was worth a try anyway.

"I think it might be because I am older, though it might have to do with the fact I was alone in the bathroom while Masako was still with Ayako." She replied while in thought.

It was a logical assumption. Naru pondered the new information. There were many questioned answered but still many left unanswered. Why didn't Hara-san feel anything when whatever is doing this was in the bathroom stripping Mai? Is the thing haunting the inn just a dark malicious spirit or something more powerful? Naru knew that they needed to find out these answers soon before it was too late. Mai's virginity and her very life were at stake.

-----

For the rest of the day Mai stayed balled up in the base room with Lin and Naru. The others set up cameras in the locations most likely to see activity. Throughout the day Naru and Lin continued to interview staff members and other relevant people.

While watching from a corner Mai wondered aimlessly what it was going to be like. 'I have heard my friends talk about their first time…god, what the hell am I supposed to say? I would really have liked this to be with an actual person…so, maybe since it's not it doesn't count…' Mai inwardly scoffed. Who was she trying to kid. Mai nervously looked out the window…almost dusk. She cringed. It would not be long now.

At that moment the rest of the team walked into the room. "All the cameras have been set up and are ready to go. We also all made rounds around the entire inn and all the surrounding grounds…" Bou-san started.

"We wrote down the locations" John added as he handed a clip board to Naru who merely nodded in acknowledgment as he skimmed over the information quickly.

"I still don't feel anything…if there is anything here at all…it is too cloudy for me to get a good reading of it." Masako spared a glance over to Mai who was staring blankly back at her. Masako couldn't help but feel badly for the girl, since if it were her in that situation she probably would have died by now.

"Hey, Mai?" Ayako called from where she was standing, "why don't we go take a bath together in the spring?" The older woman put on her best and most convincing smile in hopes of making the girl come with her…it might be able to take her mind off things for awhile.

"The Okami-san said we could…" Masako chimed in quietly. Mai widened her eyes a bit while looking at the rest of the people in the room over raised knees but said nothing. She glanced once again out the window. It was sunset and it was getting dark fast.

'Only a little more time left before…that…' Mai thought forlornly. "Alright…" she agreed out loud. "A bath really does sound nice right about now."

Ayako smiled brightly and grabbed the hand of the medium before dragging her from the room. "We will be right back! Just let us change!" She shouted as they left the room. Mai allowed a small smile to grace her lips before she let it slowly fade.

'I rather be seen by them than having a certain someone watch…" Mai thought as she eyed Naru, who in turn was glaring back at her. Mai wondered why he was staring but decided not too think too much about it…if she let her mind wander there was no way she was going to be able to keep her face un-flushed and indifferent looking.

Naru gruffly sat a microphone down on the table and fixed the naked girl with a glare. "Take this with you when you go. If anything goes wrong we will be able to get there to help you." The tone of voice Naru used left no room for argument and Mai could merely nod in agreement.

It was not long before Ayako and Masako returned wearing bath robe yukatas. Ayako violently and forcefully made the men turn around as she tugged on Mai's hands, bringing her to her feet. The three girls quickly fled the room, leaving more than one male in the room with a blush on his face.

Just like Naru had asked Mai set up the microphone in the changing area of the hot spring bath. This way Naru and the others would be able to hear if they needed help but probably could not hear the private girl chatter that was undoubtedly going to take place. Mai cringed at the thought of the boys listening in on what was going to happen…but Mai resolved that it was only the beginning…things much worse were bound to happen and the guys were going to have to see it sometime…it was unavoidable.

"Ah! This feels wonderful!" Ayako happily exclaimed as she slid into the warm water. "I wish I had one of these in my back yard!" She splashed at the water.

Masako was being much more modest as she held a towel over the front of herself to prevent her skin and body from being exposed. Ayako, of course, had done no such thing and flaunted herself for all to see; not like there was anyone else in the bath anyway, so it didn't really matter.

Mai smiled and slipped into the warm water herself. Her skin prickled at the sensation, her skin was much colder than she had originally thought and the warm water was a shock to her system. Mai hissed a bit before finally submerging herself in the water and leaned against a rock. Masako sat next to her not far off while the miko occupied a space across from the two younger girls.

"Hey, Mai?" Ayako said in a serious tone and Mai flinched. "How did you get those bruises?" she sent a glance at the lower part of the brunette's body. "I had been meaning to ask you since…well…I saw them." She fumbled the words and Mai merely laughed at her.

"I got the large bruising on my hip when I fell down at school." Mai admonished shyly. "As you probably also noticed I twisted my ankle pretty badly as well." Mai lifted her leg out of the water and displayed the black and blue state of her ankle.

"Does that have anything to do with what you were saying earlier about you and Naru being together last night!?" Ayako inched forward eagerly. Mai knew she was not going to let that down.

Mai could see Masako flinch and her eyes narrow dangerously slim. "Kinda, he just forced me to tell him what happened and then gave me a ride home. That was all there was to it really!" Mai held up her hands in mock defense and offered a reassuring glance at Masako who was still throwing daggers at her.

"So nothing happened?" Ayako pushed suspecting that there was indeed something more considering how the two teens were acting.

"Nothing at all! He just walked me up to my apartment, and that is the truth." Mai said lightly in hopes that the caddy woman would finally give up on the subject.

"Aw, man that is so boring. And here I was hoping to get something juicy." Ayako sulked and sunk back down against a boulder.

Mai was laughing softly while Masako and Ayako continued to argue when suddenly her eyes widened in shock and her body went stiff. It was here…and it was touching her.

"What's wrong Mai?" Ayako asked worriedly as she took in the girl's appearance. She had gone ridged and her face was pale and showing an expression of horror.

"It…it's…here…" she chocked out as she started to feel hands caress her body. They were cold and dark feeling, not like hands should be…it scared her to no end. She stifled a scream as the hands started to grope and probe her body. Mai tried to pull away but there was nothing to pull away from…no way to escape…nothing to fight against.

"Mai!" Ayako yelled as she moved to the girl struggling in front of her. By this time the men back at the base heard the commotion and came running.

What they saw when they got there was shocking even to their seasoned eyes. Ayako was trying to aid a frantic looking Mai that was flailing about in the water while a horrified Masako looked on, covering herself with a tightly clutched towel.

"Ayako!" Bou-san yelled as he moved forward toward the bath, "what the hell is going on?" he questioned the naked woman standing before him.

"Mai…Mai said it was here and then she started to act this way…" Ayako finished quickly and reached out a hand to grab at Mai once again. As soon as her fingers made contact with her body Mai screamed piercingly.

"Noooooooo!" she wailed as she arched her back and grabbed at the rocks surrounding her. The hands were getting much more forceful. They were squeezing tightly on her breast and prodding at her crotch roughly. It hurt…

"Mai!" Naru yelled as he was about to enter the bath and retrieve the girl but was stopped short by what happened next.

"Let go!!!!" Mai wailed loudly as sobs escaped her throat and tears fell from her eyes. "Stop!!!" she pleaded before she arched one last time before falling limp back into the water as if someone had just released her from their grasp.

"Mai…Mai…!" Ayako rushed to Mai's side and pulled her from the water over to where the men were standing, ready and waiting. Mai was awake but she seemed to be too stunned to care about much…especially the things going on around her. Ayako pulled her self from the water and sauntered over to get a towel to cover herself with. Masako on the other hand was much more shy and she slinked away to quickly change before appearing in front of the others.

Bou-san unfortunately wished he was in any other situation that he was in. If he had not been so worried about Mai and the situation not so inappropriate, he would have been sporting a pretty deep blush at the sight of the naked miko that had just flaunted her self in front of him. He always knew she had a nice body, but he could never have imagined it was as he had just witnessed. 'Lovely…' he thought to himself as he returned his attention to Mai and what was happening in front of him. "Mai…what happened?" the monk asked in concern. Mai was breathing heavily…almost panting…and she looked terribly shocked.

"Ah…well…" she breathed out at last, "it came…"

"It was attacking you, Mai-san?" Lin looked around the area sending his Shiki to see if they could pick up any lingering traces of what had just attacked the girl.

"Yeah…" she finished in a daze. Naru's eyes narrowed dangerously though it went unnoticed by all but Lin.

"We're going back to the base" Naru said flatly as he effortlessly picked up Mai in his arms and turned to walk back to the base. As soon as his hands touched her bare flesh, Mai's face burst into a blush. If she would have been less shocked she probably would have been flailing with everything she had to get away from the boy…but at the moment she could do nothing but rest quietly in his arms.

'So this is what hands are supposed to feel like…' Mai thought as they approached the base room. 'They are so…warm…'

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A/N: I wish I could say that was the worst of it...anyway, please review! I love hearing from everyone! Thanks! 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Another winter storm on its way! The internet might die on me but I will get to your reviews eventually so please review after reading anyway!!!

Warning: Contains rape...read at your own risk!

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Once at the base Naru gently placed Mai down on a futon set up for her in the corner of the room while the others slowly shuffled in behind them. They nervously took their seats and waited for Naru to address them.

"Hara-san" he said coolly as he turned away from the still stunned girl, "did you feel anything?"

"No…" Masako trailed off. "I do not feel the presence of anything here."

"Hmmm…" Naru looked deep in thought for a moment before settling a look on everyone. "For now let's eat and then get settled in for the night. Something may happen tonight that can give us a lead."

Everyone heartily agreed, even Mai who had since regained most of her composure. 'It's not going to be any better tomorrow, Naru…' Mai voiced to her self as she stood to join the others in a meal before bed.

-----

The next morning found Mai curled up in the fetal position on her futon in the base. Naru and Lin both decided to sleep there in case Mai needed them, but the night had been quiet and Mai seemed to have peacefully slept the entirety of the night. Naru looked down at the girl and his eye twitched at what he saw. He tried to ignore the tightening in his pants and focus…focus…Mai was so…exposed.

Naru tried many times over to pull his mind from the gutter but with little success. His eyes kept wandering to her supple and slightly bruised breasts. He wanted to feel them…touch them…

'No! Concentrate!' his mind shouted but his brain was just not listening anymore. His eyes traveled over the rest of her body. It was slim and well proportioned and pretty well developed for a girl of her age. He found himself recalling the conversation that they had yesterday and Naru felt happy at the fact that no man had touched the body he was looking at now…but it made him furious to think about what was going on now. Her light skin was marred by various dark bruises and a few scratch marks…deep bluish rings encircled her wrists and slightly around her neck…

Naru bit his lip before firmly placing his indifferent mask back upon his face. "Mai" he called sternly, "its time to get up. Breakfast will be served shortly."

Mai twitched and stirred at the sound of his voice but didn't wake. She was after all enjoying a world where she was able to be clothed and not be molested by some unknown thing. She vaguly recognized that a voice was calling her but she didn't want to leave…she didn't want to wake up. Mai startled as she felt a hand touch her shoulder…she tensed and was suddenly shocked awake. She turned wide eyed to look at Naru who was staring equally wide eyed back at her. Mai relaxed as she felt the warmth of his hand on her body…it was not cold…it wasn't those hands…

"Did I startle you?" Naru retreated his hand and proceeded to stand his full height while he looked down at her.

"Ah…yeah just a little but it is okay now. Thanks for waking me up…" Mai gave a shaky smile before she shifted into a sitting position and looked up to see everyone entering the room still sleepy from just waking up. "Good morning…" she voiced from her place on the floor.

"Good morning, Mai" Bou-san ventured first, "did you sleep well?" No girl should be having to go through what Mai was going through and he couldn't even begin to imagine what it must be like. He could only hope that this incident would not forever scar the girl or make her emotionally unstable or anything; worse yet…take her life…

Mai looked on surprised at the question. She had a terrible time getting to sleep after what happened. The sensation and the feel of the cold, clammy hands on her skin made her sick to her stomach. Even though it had long been done and over with by the time she was trying to fall asleep the feeling still lingered. When she did finally drift off she was accosted by images of what was to come. The sobs, pained cries, and screams from those before her drifted through her head. She had finally 'awoken' to a dark shadowy surrounding in which she was alone. Much to her relief she was soon joined by another, Gene, and he was the only reason she was able to find peace…even if it was just for a short while. "Yes, thank you!" Mai faked it and smiled brightly at the older man to relieve his worries. She never caught the slight narrowing of Naru's eyes.

Breakfast came soon after and Mai eyed the food wearily. She didn't feel much like eating. Everyone was discussing the agenda for the day and making plans on what should be done; a TV blared quietly in the corner with the news on, something about a missing criminal and the chance of rain in the near forecast; and Lin typed at his computer a few more lingering minutes before he came to join the group at the table. It was not long before they noticed that she was missing and Mai cringed when Ayako called to her.

"Come on Mai…get breakfast" the woman fixed her with a glare. "I can bring you a plate if you don't feel like moving…just tell me what you want."

"Ah…that's okay Ayako" Mai tried to put her best voice forward, "I don't feel much like eating right now." Naru was not the only one in the room that sent her a glare and Mai flinched at the looks she was receiving.

"Mai" Naru started darkly, "eat." He was not asking nor was it really an order…it was the only option.

"I agree Mai-san" John meekly added. He still was not able to look at the girl without blushing and he averted his gaze from her as much as he could. Mai was glad to see that even though he was obviously uncomfortable with the situation he continued on and seemed very eager to help her. "You must eat if you want to keep your strength up."

"The last thing we need is you sick…" Masako snidely added.

"Alright, alright…" Mai hoisted her self up and walked over to the table and took a seat. "Just don't blame me if I throw up later or anything…" she huffed as she began to eat her fill under the scrutinizing gazes of her co-workers.

Breakfast was soon finished and the plates were cleared away by staff members. The team immediately went into plan mode and started to organize the day's events. Mai listened in dimly shifting her attention from them to the TV and back until neither was holding her attention for long. She stared off outside from where she sat on the floor. The dark feeling was creeping back into the pit of her stomach and her eyes widened in fear at the realization.

At that moment the team had apparently decided on what to do. Ayako, Bou-san, John, and Masako were sent out of the room, apparently to make rounds and conduct some more interviews. Lin was quickly on the phone with Naru just over his shoulder pointing out things on the laptop screen that he apparently wanted to draw Lin's attention to. In a few more moments Lin was off the phone and in discussion with Naru.

"Who were you calling?" Mai ventured to ask as she remained tucked on her futon.

"Requesting some information" Naru replied shortly.

"From Yasuhara-kun?" Mai cocked her head as Naru sent her a glare, though she couldn't figure out why.

"Yes, and if Madoka can find time she is going to help as well." He turned back to the screens briskly.

"Oh…" Mai shivered slightly and Naru turned his attention back to her, "do you think…they will find out anything that will help?" She asked hesitantly as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"It is highly probable that they will…" he said while eyeing her critically. She looked cold…she was shivering. Naru's eyes widened as he saw the girl stiffen on the spot. "Mai?" he ventured. Her eyed reflected fear and terror as she stared at him.

"N-naru" she stuttered out. "I-it's here!" she finished as her body was forcefully slammed to the floor. A pained gasp made its way from her throat and Naru rushed to her side instantly but it was as it was the night before; when he tried to touch her she wailed in pain. There was nothing he could do.

"Lin get every one back in here now!" he shouted at his assistant who was already rushing out the door. "Mai!" he called as he watched her strained expression, "what is going on?!"

Mai was being pressed to the floor with her back end raised in the air; being caressed by whatever the cold sickening thing was. It was fondling her breasts and touching her in places she never wanted to be touched by such cold and emotionless limbs. As hard as she tried she could not help but sob and moan against the actions that were being taken against her. "What does it look like, you fool!" she shouted at Naru through clenched teeth. She didn't mean to be so angry at him but she was not really in the mood to be kind. "I am going to be raped from behind!"

Naru looked on in horror…just as the words left her mouth she was jolted forward in a tell tale motion of being impaled. She gasped and tears escaped her eyes. She was holding her breath and started to look faint as the rhythmic motion of her body continued. "Mai! Breath, you idiot!" Naru shouted at her just as the others flung open the door and rushed in.

What they saw stunned them all. Mai indeed looked like she was having sex but just as the Okami-san had said…there was no one behind her…yet her body was moving just as if someone were trusting into her…hard. She was breathing heavily and her face was stained with tears. She was not making any noise besides her breathing and a stifled sob or cry every now at then.

"Mai!" Ayako cried as she moved forward. Masako was covering her stunned expression with her sleeve while the rest of the men just looked on with dread.

"Naru!" Masako said loudly, "I don't feel any spirit here!" The others affirmed with nodding heads that they didn't feel anything out of the ordinary as well, even though they could clearly see that something out of the ordinary was definitely taking place.

"Shit!" Naru cursed out loud as he balled his fists at his sides.

Mai continued the motion for a few moments longer until her back arched downward and she gripped the sheets around her with such force her knuckles turned white. She released a gasp as her head flung backwards before she slumped back down on the futon panting softly.

Naru clenched his fists so tightly blood threatened to spill from his palms…but that didn't bother him any considering he could see blood staining the cover of the futon Mai was on. It was dripping from between her legs…

"Mai…Mai…" Ayako called as she gently touched the girl's shoulder once she assumed the act was over. Ayako noted that it was over indeed for the sign that the girl had just lost her virginity stained clear on the white cover of the sheets. There was blood.

"Just…one more minute, Ayako…" Mai heaved quietly. "That felt…really weird." Mai rolled to investigate the damage between her legs. It felt strange…cold and empty. There was no warm sensation in her or even much of a throbbing pain. She could clearly see the slick blood that ran from her…it was frightfully red. "Ah…that wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be…" Mai sighed.

"What the hell Mai!" Bou-san yelled at the girl. "You were just raped…and lost your…and…" he trailed off quietly.

"Yeah, I know what happened to me so I know Bou-san…don't worry…I'm fine. It's just a little bit of blood…some bruises…nothing serious."

"A little blood…bruises!" Bou-san threw his hands up exasperated, "Mai, you were just raped by something! Raped!"

"Are you implying that I should be sobbing here like a baby in some emotional break down over something that already happened and that I had no control over whatsoever?" Mai sighed in an equally exasperated way. "Trust me…that is the last thing I am going to do. I am old enough to know what happens between boys and girls…most of my friends have already lost it and now so have I."

They all gave her a dubious stare…hardly believing the girl was emotionally fine. "Mai…are you really all right?" Ayako pressed when she figured the boys were not going to speak up.

"Yeah…for now…" Mai looked away, "figure this out quick before it does it again…"

Everyone stared with wide eyes. Mai had a point. It was going to happen over and over again…until…

"Lin!" Naru's voice broke through the tense silence, "get Madoka back on the phone and get her over here…now" he said before he turned and left the room.

The rest of the men quickly left the room as well leaving Mai alone with the miko and the medium. "Can you really not feel anything Masako?" Mai looked up expectantly. She was met with a somber stare and a slow shake of the head.

"No matter where I have been to in this inn I haven't felt anything. There was a stray spirit here and there but nothing worth consideration." Masako turned and walked swiftly to the bathroom attached to the space they were in and soon emerged with a bowl of water and some wash cloths. She sat the bowl of warm water in front of Mai and gave her a kind look. "While we are talking and the boys are away…let's get you cleaned up before they get back."

"That is a great idea!" Ayako lunged at a cloth and started to scrub vigorously at Mai's skin.

"Whoa, easy Ayako!" Mai blushed, "gently!" Mai took a cloth for herself and began to scrub at the grim she felt left behind from what ever had attacked her. "Hey…if you can't feel anything then what in the world could be going on?" Mai looked to the medium again.

"Well…" Ayako started bring both girls attention to her, "what ever it is could be too powerful for Masako to detect. It could be blocking out her senses."

"I could still feel something! Some kind of trace or…feeling…" Masako interrupted.

"You did say when you go here that what you felt was clouded…the thing that is doing this could be the one making it that way." Ayako replied coolly.

"I haven't felt that clouded feeling since though. It was only when I first got here that I felt it. It is gone now." Masako huffed back.

"Well, as I was saying…" Ayako continued, "or there is no spirit here for Masako to detect."

"No spirit?" both girls questioned at the same time.

"Well, that is the only other option right? I mean either there are or there aren't, you sense them or you don't." Ayako sent a questioning glance at Masako.

"Okay…but if there are no spirits here then what the hell just held me down and penetrated me! I felt it! Every sickening bit!" Mai wailed dramatically, "its hands holding me to the floor, the feel of a body on mine, and the weight on my back…I felt it all. I felt as it started to touch me…down there! I felt as it pushed into me hard and started to move forward and back! I could feel…feel it release…yet there was no warmth, no real sensation that anything had ever been there." Mai dropped her gaze to the floor. "The only things I have to show for it are these bruises…" she held up her arms that displayed blackening patches of skin.

"Oh Mai…" Ayako started but was cut off by a still angry Mai.

"So if not a spirit then what! What else could it be!?" Mai huffed angrily. She would have time to fall into an emotional wreck later but now, now she was angry at what ever had attacked her. She could be depressed anytime, but she could only be this mad right now when the thought was still fresh in her mind. Oh how she wished there was something that was visible so that she could punch it…or at least get the satisfaction of exorcising it. But if there was nothing to exorcise then there was nothing for her to take her revenge on…and she would forever be unable to let go of the fact that she was raped by nothing…now there was a though. Great…

"It obviously has to be something…since there were the other girls after all." Masako dipped her cloth back in the water to heat it up a bit before returning to cleaning the arm she was working on. "Did you see anything in your dream that would support or refute the presence of something?" The medium looked at Mai who merely returned an in thought gaze.

Mai tried to remember her vision. It had been so splotchy and quick. It jumped from one girl to the next rather abruptly. Even when she stuck with one girl it was like everything was in fast forward. Sure she saw all that happened from the very moment the girl had lost her clothes up until the moment she slit her wrists and died…but days worth of events and information seemed to pass in mere moments. Mai tried to focus on what she saw leading up to the girls' deaths.

'Let's see…they were raped by nothing…just as I was…' Mai thought to herself while the other women looked on. 'I never saw anything like a spirit…even Gene seemed confused with the situation. But then what was it that pulled off all my clothes in the bathroom? I didn't feel anything then either…'

Mai looked up at the others, "I never saw anything like a spirit or evil force in my dream. Usually I see them…the spirits or dark spots that we should be investigating. But this time…there was nothing like that at all in my dream. It was just like watching a show on TV…"

"We should let the others know…" Ayako suggested as she replaced a bloodied cloth into the water bowl…turning the liquid inside a light pinkish tint. "Madoka should be here soon if Naru has anything to do with it…and maybe she can shed some light on the situation based off of what you told us."

"Yeah…I can only hope…" Mai voiced quietly.

"Alright I will go see what they are all up to and come back as soon as I know anything…Masako you stay here with Mai, okay?" Ayako stood and looked at the girls sitting on the floor.

"Alright." Masako answered stiffly as they watched the older woman walk from the room.

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A/N: Pretty long chapter! Please review! Thanks! I really enjoyed writing Naru pondering over a naked Mai. Since I am not a guy I really don't know what a guy thinks when he sees a cute naked girl, but I can only guess that he is thinking dirty! I mean it is said that guys think about sex every 10 seconds or something like that so he is bound to be influenced! He has hormones after all! 


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Still own nothing! Yes, I realize my story is unrealistic, but I mean so is anime! I am writing this with a hentai type feel in mind and that is nowhere near realistic! So yeah, bear with me for what it is! Thanks for reading!

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Once Ayako left Mai turned to the girl sitting just in front her. "Masako" Mai looked directly into her doll like eyes, "if this gets out of hand you need to leave here. If something happens to me then you are next…"

Masako looked stunned for a moment. "What are you talking about!? You don't have to worry about me, and what do you mean 'if something happens' to you?"

"I am not kidding Masako!" Mai grabbed her shoulders with slightly shaking hands. "If the others can't figure this out soon, and I mean soon, it will be you who is naked on this floor! I don't want that to happen to you, so you must promise that you will leave if it starts to look like they are not going to figure it out in time!"

Masako's eyes widened at what the girl in front of her was saying. The words finally got to her, 'she…she is worried about me…ah…but she always worries about others…' Masako thought quickly to herself. "Alright…" she finally spoke quietly.

"Thanks…"

"You are welcome…"

Meanwhile…

"Naru…" Ayako called down to where the rest of her co-workers currently stood.

"I need to talk to you."

Naru and the others turned to look at her. "How is Mai-san?" John asked hesitantly.

"She still claims she is fine, but what I wanted to tell you…" The miko started.

"Are you sure she is okay?" Bou-san interjected causing the older woman to smack him hard across the head.

"Let me finish damnit!" Ayako placed her hands on her hips and huffed angrily. "Masako didn't feel anything again. Mai said she didn't see any spirits in her dream. What if we are going about this all the wrong way?"

"What do you mean Matsuzaki-san?" She had finally caught Naru's attention.

"We were talking and it became clear that if Masako can't feel what is here then that means only one of two things."

"Which are?" Naru prompted impatiently.

"One" Ayako started, "the spirit is strong enough to mask its presence from even her…or two…there is no spirit here at all…"

"No spirit?" John and Bou-san exclaimed at the same time.

"That is a very probable possibility given the circumstances…" Naru looked off in thought.

"Lin…" Naru looked back at his older assistant, "what are your thoughts?"

"Like you say, given the facts that we have so far…and the fact that Hara-san claims to feel nothing…as do I…" Lin paused, "I would have to say we should be looking at a human cause for the events that are taking place."

"Agreed" Naru affirmed gruffly, "Gather the Okami-san and other staff involved and tell them to wait in the front lobby area. We will set up a vase and plant the suggestion that it will move. We can then rule out human involvement from the staff if the vase is moved."

"Understood" Lin replied as he and the others began to prepare the test and to gather the staff.

Naru was left alone. He wandered back to the base but hesitated at the door. He could hear Mai and Masako talking…they were talking about…him? Naru listened intently and sure enough it was him that they were discussing.

'I never wanted him to see me like this! If I am going to be naked I should at least show some sex appeal…but no…I have to be tattered and bruised!' He clearly heard Mai rant.

'I think I would die if I had to be seen naked by so many people…' he heard Masako admonish quietly.

'It's really not that bad…once you get over the fact that you are totally exposed and everyone is looking you over like a piece of meat!' Mai laughed before continuing, 'I feel like everyone is measuring me up…I honestly feel pretty self conscious…other girls are probably better looking than me…and I am probably not very cute like this…' Mai's voice filtered through the sliding door.

Naru leaned against the wall with his arms crossed. 'Not cute…what guy could possibly think that…' As soon as the thought crossed his mind he was quick to shake it off. He didn't need to let his mind wander to more tantalizing thoughts now; he needed to focus so that he could prevent another attack. He didn't want to see her in thralls of pain from a forced sexual act ever again. If Lin hadn't been there to calm him he would have destroyed something…anything…at how angry he was. It was a deep and cold fury that was boiling just under the surface just waiting to be unleashed. Naru could only hope he could find out what was behind all this so he could beat the shit out of it…

'I never wanted to have such cold sex…' he was barely able to hear Mai.

'What do you mean?' came Masako's equally soft reply.

'I wanted to make love…the way my friends talked about it…' a sigh escaped her lips, 'warm, loving…with the guy they liked or with their boyfriends. Sure their relationships may pass but at least their feelings at the time…were…warm…and loving.'

'Mai…'

'My first time will never be like that…it will forever be cold and mysterious…devoid of any emotion what so ever. There will be no sweet, affectionate making love when I think of how I lost my virginity…'

Naru clenched his fists tightly at his side; so much so that he was digging into his palms with his short nails. He clenched his teeth and tried with all his might to not bust into the room and tell a certain brunette that she was the dumbest girl in world and that she was so stupid for thinking such thoughts…

But Naru could not…would not…move from his spot. He had to remain calm. Bad things would happen his he lost control of his temper. As long as his mind remained unclouded and composed he would be able to think of a solution to solve the damned case and let it be done and over with. Then he would try his best to consol the troubled girl…but now…now he could not risk being blinded by emotion…

The rest of the day went by quickly. Madoka and Yasuhara arrived in the evening and Mai holed herself up in the corner of the base room. There had been no more activity that afternoon, which everyone was more than thankful for. The team had been researching like crazy and things only got more hectic with the addition of the other two researchers. They were preparing the test for hypnotic suggestion as soon as the Okami-san and her staff could arrive after dinner was served.

"Did you find out the history of this place?" Mai heard Bou-san ask. She found her self incredibly self conscious after what had occurred earlier so she was currently taking a 'bathroom break' away from prying eyes. It wouldn't be long before the Okami-san and everyone else involved would be present in the space. The last thing Mai wanted was them to see her as she was now.

"More or less" Yasuhara responded flatly, "but frankly there is nothing really worthy of reporting."

"Yasuhara-kun is right Naru…" Madoka's loud voice cut in, "there is nothing that precedents these occurrences here."

"So…" John's voice was soft and thoughtful "that means that this is probably unrelated to the inn itself or to the grounds…"

"That would be my assumption based on these findings." Madoka finished in a huff. She sounded like she was moving around restlessly.

"We can't rule out anything yet." Naru's voice cut through the air like a knife and Mai subconsciously shivered whether it was from the temperature or the excitement of hearing the boy's voice, Mai was not sure. "Hara-san is adamant that she does not feel anything here and we have good reason from the others to support that claim. We should start to focus our resources on human causes."

"But…from what you have told me has happened to Mai…can a person really be behind such an act?" Madoka asked softly, almost too quiet for Mai to hear clearly. "If a psychic is behind it…then I would dearly like to know how he is manipulating his victims."

"What do you mean?" John asked with curiosity lacing his words.

"Well…there are many types of psychics. There are those that often will something to happen and so it does. They make objects move or things rattle. Those are the physical aspects of what they can do with their abilities…but then there are those that can confuse the senses." Madoka paused and Mai inched closer to the door to try and hear what she was to say next. "When I first heard the overview and about Masako not feeling anything here, I have to admit I suspected it was merely a case in which someone was confusing the senses of the girls involved."

"Confusing the senses?" Bou-san asked.

"Yes…make it so the girls felt like they were being touched. Make it so that in their minds they felt as if they were truly being raped…through some sort of suggestion or telepathy. For others it would seem like they were being harassed by some invisible force…but in the girls' minds it would be as real as if they were actually having sex with some guy."

"But…" Bou-san started, "Mai bled…" his voice trailed off and Mai could not hear anymore than that.

Mai clenched her abdomen tightly. "It can't just be in my mind. I know I felt it…I know…something…was inside, and it hurt." Mai told herself softly. The conversation continued outside the door.

"Yes, I know." Madoka continued, "I was getting to that. It concerns me greatly that there is physical evidence left on her body suggesting that there was more than an illusion or that it was all just in her head. She bled after it raped her, there are bruises and scrapes. That I am not sure how to explain…"

"If she were a true medium then she could possibly exhibit those kinds of wounds based off of what she saw…or thought she was feeling. Since she thought it was real…her body complied and made it real." Ayako added.

"But Mai has never shown any signs of being even close to a true medium. Also, it was not like she was possessed by anything and seeing or feeling what they went through." Bou-san replied to the miko. Mai could just imagine the looks they were giving each other.

"That was what I have been trying to explain!" Madoka snapped back. "How can we account for her wounds?"

That question seemed to hush every one. Mai could only assume they were all deep in thought contemplating its implications. If it was as they thought and a person was behind the actions, how did he make it so she not only felt like she was being raped but show physical signs of it as well? As Madako had said, she would dearly like to know. Deep down Mai was feeling some what relieved at the idea of a person being behind the actions and not some spirit that was already dead. This way she could get her revenge and at least make the scumbag bleed a little. Mai relished the idea that she could put who ever through a bit of the same pain she had gone through…the mere thought of it brought a smile to her face.

Her smile didn't last long though as she felt a familiar sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and a chill ran down her spine…it was back.

* * *

A/N: Well, just a filler chapter! Sorry for the cliffhanger! Please review! Thank you! 


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Don't own! Okay, I wanted to address a question here that I have been asked several times: "Why doesn't Mai just leave?"

I realize that I haven't really explained that as well (or at all) as I should have. In my head it was clear that she can't leave. Just as it hurts her to put on clothes it hurts her greatly if she steps off the grounds of the inn. I assume they have already tried this with the girls before and discovered it to be so. I make reference to this fact (that she can't leave) soon in the next chapter or so. I apologize for this error! This was my Nano story and usually the first time I read a part (after I wrote it) has been right before posting it here! If I had probably taken the time to read this while I was writing it I am sure I would have picked it up and edited it. I may edit it later when I have time, but this has been a speed story all the way and one in which I haven't spent as much time on as my others!

So once again I apologize, but I hope you can bear with me till the end even though it is a pretty strange story! Thank you for reading! Please review!

Warning: Contains rape...read at your own risk (this is the last time though, just to let you know)

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The bathroom door burst open and Mai tumbled out onto the floor. She was crying but barely any noise was escaping her mouth. "No…" she mumbled before she was thrown into a nearby wall. She bit her lip hard causing blood to dribble down her chin as she felt the same sickening sensation forcefully enter her. There was no groping or caressing this time around. Mai noted that it felt like a hand was holding her own hands over her head and pinning them to the wall. The other 'hand' was pushing on the small of her back.

"Mai!" Some one screamed from behind her. There were more voices too but Mai could not really pick up on much at the moment other than vaguely taking in the fact that some one, probably Ayako, had called her.

Mai cringed as she felt the pace increase. Each thrust was already hard and forceful, much more violent than earlier…and the quickened motion did not help any. The 'hand' that was on her back slid up her spine and grabbed her hair tightly forcing her head back painfully far. Mai gasped and continued to jerk with the motion the invisible force was setting. She knew it would be over soon…she could feel her own body building with anticipation and the thrusts continued to gain speed.

Moments later Mai felt her self climax. She arched her back and pushed her self forward while dipping her head back further than it had been pulled. Her whole body tensed and stiffened at the euphoric feeling that was running through her body though inside she knew better…seconds later the feeling was gone and Mai was left empty and gasping for air. She slumped to the floor in a sickening thud and continued to pant a moment longer before trying to gain her barring. Once again Mai felt nothing inside, no warm outburst from a climaxing partner or even any feeling of warmth over her skin. Only her cold sweat remained glistening over her hot and flushed skin.

"That was horrible" Mai breathed out breathlessly and she surveyed her wrists. They were already starting to bruise. Her whole body ached…especially her back and legs from being forced to stand at such an odd angle. "Ah, I am sore…" Mai mused quietly.

Naru was in a cold rage. He had to watch once again as Mai was taken against her will and hurt. Yet there she was…not whining, crying, complaining or anything. She just sat there taking it all without so much as a single outburst or yell of anger…or sadness. Naru knew that Mai was far from okay…after all he had overheard her talking to Masako about the situation. He knew right then and there that she was suppressing what she was feeling…and it angered him to no ends. Under no circumstances should she be having to go through this…especially trying to hold it all in…

"Mai…" he started but she cut him off before he could finish.

"Ah, I am fine!" She laughed softly before shifting herself on the floor before she slowly rose to her feet. "It's not that bad really…"

That was it. Naru couldn't take it anymore; not the way she was acting as if it was nothing…like it didn't bother her at all.

"Mai, it's okay to cry you know…" Naru spoke carefully. The others nodded their heads in agreement. They all were concerned about how the girl was handling what was being done to her.

"What do you mean?" Mai questioned with a slight tilt of her head, "it's not that big of a deal…"

"Of course it's a big deal, you idiot!" Naru snapped back, "You lost your virginity and are being raped by something you can't even see!"

"I agree, Mai…you can't keep acting like its nothing." Ayako tried to sound comforting.

Mai's eyes widened slightly. 'No…I won't let it break…I can't let it break…' Mai thought frantically over and over in her mind. "Really guys it's not that bad. It's not like I can get pregnant or anything!" She laughed a forced laugh but no one even came close to giving her a look of approval.

"It hurt you…" Naru reminded the girl while still trying to figure out how she could remain positive after the things that had happened.

"I am not made of glass, Naru." She huffed in reply. "I can handle something like this…I won't brake."

"You could die!" He yelled more forcefully that he had intended but he had enough of her positive outlook on the whole situation. Did she not realize the position she was in? After being taken over and over suicide was next…did she forget that small fact?

"Enough!" she shouted back. If he said anything more she would break. The wall that she had built up would collapse and all her emotions and fears would come pouring through. Her resolve to act mature and calm would be shattered…and then, once again, she would become a burden on everyone and make them worry. She didn't want anyone to worry for her…she was fine on her own…she didn't need any help. 'That's right…' Mai told herself over and over again that she was fine.

She was far from fine.

"Mai…" Bou-san tried to address the girl but her laughing once again stopped him short of saying anything.

"Ha, really guys. Don't worry. At least this will be a funny story to tell my friends on how I lost my virginity!" Mai avoided looking at anyone in the eye. If they looked at her in the eyes they would know…know how she was truly feeling.

"Enough!" Naru slammed his balled fist on the wall just above her. He had swiftly closed the distance between them and now was standing directly over her where she sat on the floor. Mai looked up, wide eyed, at her fuming boss. His eyes glared down at her angrily. Mai shuttered. She had never seen such anger in his eyes before or such an expression on his face…it scared her.

"N-naru?" She ventured softly. His jaw tensed and she could see him trying to figure out the words he wanted to say.

"Cry…be angry, get mad. You should be showing so many emotions other than the ones you are. It is like you are just content to sit there and take it…"

"And what if I am…?" She met his glare though it was reluctantly so.

"I know you're not. Stop covering what you are really feeling. For an idiot like you it will only hurt you more."

"Why do you even care!?" Mai stood with her back pressed against the wall and her head just below Naru's still balled fist. She stared at him face to face and gave her best glare she could muster. "It doesn't matter what emotions I show, or what I do! It's going to take me anyway!"

Naru scowled and Mai flinched. He lowered his head so that his mouth was directly above her ear. Mai could feel his warm breath on her skin and shivered at how close his lips were to her. "I care because I wanted to take you for myself…" Naru smirked into Mai's ear as he spoke so softly it was as if he was merely breathing. The girl blushed furiously at his words. Naru pressed his body against hers in a single swift motion and Mai swore there was no way to make her blush anymore than she already was. "But…" he whispered softly as he pulled away from her ear and appeared dangerously close to her lips, "that is probably too much for an idiot like you to comprehend…"

With that said Naru pushed away from the wall and walked away to the monitors; still seething with anger just below the surface. Mai slid gently down the wall and plopped on the floor softly. Her cheeks were flushed a deep red and her hand was unconsciously touching her ear. Masako was glaring daggers while everyone else shared bemused smirks with one another. They all dearly wanted to know what their young boss had just said to the girl to get her to react as such.

"Everyone to the lobby" Naru demanded as he made it to the other side of the room. "It is about time to get this figured out." His exterior was calm but everyone present knew better than to think that we was not extremely angry.

Without any comment Bou-san, Lin, and John walked from the room. With a single fleeting glance Naru told Ayako and Masako to stay behind. It was getting late and once the suggestion was planted they were probably going to call it a night.

-----

"Mai, what did Naru say to you!?" The older miko practically jumped on her. "You have to tell me what he said!" She practically dragged Mai over to the futon and flopped down on it with Mai in tow.

"Ayoko…" Mai tried to scoot away from the prying miko, "he didn't say anything…"

Masako glared jealously. Mai wasn't fooling anyone. She knew that she was lying through her teeth. There was no way Mai was telling the truth. "You are not fooling anyone, Mai. Now, what did he say to you?" Masako said haughtily.

Mai stared up at her rival and friend. They were not going to let her go without telling them a somewhat believable lie. "He called me an idiot…"

"There is no way that alone would make you as red as an apple!" Ayako protested while grabbing her shoulders.

"Really that is all he said!" Mai tried to bluff.

"It is not Mai! Now, tell us what he said!" Masako was suddenly on the floor in front of her staring her down with beautiful doll like eyes.

"I…I…he said…" Mai blushed deeply and turned away. The action only made the other women even more eager to find out the secret. Mai realized by the expressions on their faces that she was not going to get off until she told them the truth; the whole truth. "He said…"

"He said?" They both repeated while inching closer.

"He said that he…he wanted to take me…not watch me be taken by someone else…" she trailed off so that she finished speaking in barely a whisper. The other women stared…shocked.

"AHHH!" Ayako screamed when she seemed to lift from her daze. "That is so great Mai! He wants you as his girl! He doesn't want to see you having sex with anyone else but him!" She said as she flung her arms around the girl and embraced her tightly. Masako was still too stunned to even move. The look on her face said she was still trying to process what her crush had said to her rival.

"Ayako!" Mai wheezed. "Not so tightly!"

"But" Ayako squeezed tighter "I am so happy for you! This means he wants you! He wants you to be his girlfriend!"

"I think you are over reacting Ayako…" Mai tried to pry the over excited woman from her waist. "He is a healthy teenage boy after all…I mean that is all they think about you know. It doesn't mean anything."

"That's right!" Masako suddenly stated after blinking a few times. "It doesn't mean anything!" Masako professed to herself. By this time Ayako and Mai blankly stared at her. Neither of them expected her to pick up on the last part of the naked girl's comment.

"Well…I mean…I would be…happy…" Mai blushed and turned away again.

"Ahh! I knew it! I knew you wanted him!" Ayako beamed.

"I didn't say that!" Mai huffed.

"You were thinking it!" Ayako yelled.

"Well he is gorgeous! Who wouldn't want to have sex with him?!" Mai blushed brightly. The expressions plastered on Ayako's and Masako's faces told everything. It was exactly as she had said; who wouldn't want to have sex with Naru? He was incredibly handsome and very good looking in every meaning of the term. 'I wonder what he looks like naked…' Mai thought to herself aimlessly. As soon as the thought of a named Naru crossed her mind she felt her whole body get hot. She was sure the blush that was on her face deepened. 'I wonder what he thinks of me…'

"Mai!" Ayako yelled, "what were you just thinking!?"

"Nothing!" Mai slithered backwards.

"You were thinking about Naru!"

"Was not!"

"Were too!" Ayako protested.

"Girls, girls, girls…" Bou-sans voice filtered through the room. Ayako, Mai, and Masako turned to face the man as he entered the room followed by John, Lin, and finally Naru. "What were you yelling about?"

"Nothing!" All three girls yelled back in unison causing the males now in the room to stare. The guys decided then and there that girl's were something that they would never understand.

After some short discussions on who would be where, everyone split up. Ayako and Masako went on a final round of the inn before turning in for bed in their room. Bou-san and John went to meet with Madoka and Yasuhara to collaborate some information leaving Lin and Naru in the room with Mai.

"Mai…" Naru's voice was cool and Mai shot her head up instantly when he spoke.

"Yes?" She responded as she flushed.

"You can try and get some sleep now. You have had a long day. Lin and I are just going to finish up a few more things before going to bed."

Mai nodded and settled herself down on the futon. She was tired but she didn't want to sleep. She was afraid of what she might see if she closed her eyes…afraid that she might dream. She curled up hugging herself close. It didn't take long of her listening to the melodic typing of Lin's laptop and the soft shuffling noise of files that Naru was flipping through for her eyes to drift close. It was not long after until Mai's breathing evened out and she was asleep.

Naru turned to her and grinned. He sat his file down and looked to Lin. "I will sleep here tonight."

Lin smiled. He already knew that Naru would not be coming back to the room that he shared with John and the monk. "Understood. If you don't mind I think I will turn in myself."

"Good night, Lin." Naru stated as the other man stood and took his leave from the room.

"Good night, Naru." Lin left the room and walked down the hall to his room. He smiled to himself. Naru was finally going to get some alone time with Mai. He knew that Naru was trying hard to deal with the situation in a calm and controlled manner. Today he had finally snapped. Lin had wondered how long it would take for his emotions to finally boil over. He only hoped that they would be able to figure out the case before any more damage was done.

Naru watched the sliding door and moment longer after Lin had left. He wanted to make sure the Chinese man was indeed gone before he settled himself in for the night. He looked back to the peacefully sleeping Mai and allowed a small smile to grace his lips. He was not anywhere near happy with what the girl was having to go through, but he was rather pleased that he could look at her like he was looking at her now.

He didn't like the fact that other people were seeing his Mai naked. He wanted to be the only one to see her. But under the circumstances it couldn't be helped that other people were seeing her untouched skin. With one final look around the darkened room Naru moved and settled himself on the futon next to Mai. When he saw that she didn't stir he inched himself closer until he was cradling her in his arms. She unconsciously moved into his body for the warmth and sighed contentedly. Naru smiled and rested his head upon the pillow before closing his eyes contentedly as well. Mai would be hurt if she covered herself but this way she could get warm from his body heat and unfortunately that was all Naru could think of to do for the girl for the moment. He was determined to figure out what was going on if it was the last thing he did.

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A/N: Oh man, naked Naru...can you imagine? O.o ...I think I would faint...or something akin to it! Anyway, hope you liked this chapter. I was happy I was finally able to toss in some much need fluff and some somewhat warmer moments! Let me know how you liked it! Thanks! 


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Thank you to everyone that has reviewed! You guys are amazing! This chapter is rather short, sorry! Still own nothing...

Warning: Contains suicide! Read at your own risk!

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Mai awoke with a start. 'Where the hell am I now?' she thought as she took in her surroundings. 'Ah, I must be dreaming…'

For as far as Mai could see there was darkness…there was nothing…

'Mai' she faintly heard a voice call. She turned around frantically trying to find the voice. 'Mai…'

'Hello?' she called into the nothingness, 'Where are you?'

'Mai…' the voice repeated…it was coming from behind her. Mai turned and started to walk toward the voice slowly.

'I can hear you…but I can't see you…' she tentatively called as she continued to walk forward.

'Mai…don't…leave…' she heard the voice's patchy words. It sounded so far away as if it was breaking up. What was it trying to say?

'I can't hear you clearly!' Mai called as she walked closer to where the voice was coming from.

'Mai, don't come!' The voice was louder.

'What?' Mai asked in confusion. What in the world was going on?

'Don't come! You must leave!' The voice said louder. As she neared she finally recognized it to be Gene's voice. Her eyes widened in fear and she was about to stop dead in her tracks as soon as her foot landed…

Her foot never landed. Mai lurched forward at the lack of footing and began to fall in a dreadful, spiraling decent. She tried to scream but no sound came out; she tried to close her eyes and pretend it was all a dream…that it wasn't real, but her eyes never closed.

-----

Mai's eyes shot open as she hit bottom forcefully; the sound of her bones crushing and shattering still rang fresh in her mind. She sat up gasping for air and frantically looked around the room. She was in the base on her futon at the inn. It was just a dream. Mai ran shaky hands over her flesh which in her dream would have been bloodied and disfigured from broken, protruding bone fragments…but it wasn't. Her skin was smooth and unstained. Mai finally released a breath that she hadn't realized she was holding in relief.

"A dream…" she told her self quietly. She looked to her left and realized that Naru was sleeping soundly at her side. A flush crept over her cheeks as she continued to try and calm her self down. She didn't want to wake Naru up after all; he looked exhausted earlier in the day and he must have conked out as soon as his head hit the pillow. He looked like he was in a deep sleep.

"Good thing I didn't scream…" Mai said aimlessly as she rested back down next the boy. She watched him sleep with mild amusement. He looked so beautiful when he was sleeping, not that he didn't look good when awake…it was just…he looked…warm. Mai thought as she snuggled up closer to him and closed her eyes as she rested her head against his chest. She could hear his heart beating steadily…rhythmically…it was so soothing and calming. Before she knew it Mai had already matched her own breathing with his and was half way into sleep when her eyes suddenly shot open again.

"No…" She whispered. "No…please…" Mai pleaded as she agilely lifted her self from the futon and walked to the middle of the room. "Not now…"

Mai was in a panic, though anyone who looked would have thought otherwise. Her body moved swiftly across the space, her head held high and her hips swaying slightly as she walked. By no means did it look like she was in any distress…yet…her face told another story.

Mai's face was stricken with tears and her cheeks were red from her crying. Her eyes were screaming endlessly. Pleading, fearful, and scared out of her mind Mai was trying desperately to say something, anything. But no words came...not even a sound. The only noise that could be heard was the soft stifled sounds she made as she cried and tried to choke out words. It was too late…

'No!' Mai screamed in her head as she picked up a box cutter from the small container Lin always brought in with the equipment filled with miscellaneous items that he might find a use for on any particular case. She slipped the blade out slowly with her thumb and stared at the blade a moment longer. 'No! It is too soon! I should still have another day or so!' Mai was frantically shouting in her head yet her outward appearance remained calm. She raised the blade to her neck, 'NO! This can't be happening!'

-----

Mai drew the blade across the front of her neck. Blood trickled down her bare skin staining it with red. She closed her eyes tightly at the pain. She was screaming in her head but she stood perfectly still. The searing pain was unlike anything she had ever felt. It was so intense Mai felt the energy draining from her by the second.

Her eyes widened as she rested the blade on her wrist, 'No…no…NO!' Mai sliced her wrist with a quick downward thrust of the blade. Instantly blood sprung from the new incision and dribbled down on to the floor. With the job done Mai let the blade slip from her hand and drop to the floor with a dull thump. At the mere sight of all the blood Mai slumped to the floor and allowed her self to fall gently to the side. She lay there watching her own blood seep from her veins and her eyes began to slip closed.

'Naru…' she looked over to the futon, 'I need help!' Mai begged for the words to form. She whined and grunted yet the sound was still much too soft to wake the soundly sleeping man…but she needed to do something quickly before she lost consciousness.

Mai anxiously scanned the room…she would need something, anything to make enough noise to wake someone up. Mai saw that she was by the monitors. 'If I could only drop one of those…' she thought as she noticed that she was in a position that she could kick the leg of the table. 'Maybe that will jostle it enough…'

Mai kicked the table leg with all the force she would muster. The monitors rattled precariously but nothing more than that. The single monitor perched just to the side of the others shifted slightly towards the edge. 'Yes…' Mai thought as she blocked the pain and jabbed the table leg with her foot again. The monitor inched closer. 'One more time…' Mai thought as she gave it her all. If it didn't fall with this final kick she was going to be in trouble. She used up too much of her energy on the endeavor and was hovering just above blacking out. Mai hit the table leg hard and was vaguely aware of the falling monitor…

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A/N: I know, I know...someone just shoot me now! Sorry for the cliffhanger! I will update in a few days so you won't have to wait that long for the next chapter! Please let me know how you liked it! 


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger last time! Another short chapter...sorry...but when the chapters are short I will update everyday so it won't be so bad! Please enjoy and let me know what you think! Things will be getting better from here on out:)

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Naru stirred slightly in his sleep. He was feeling restless for some reason. Something was nagging him just outside of his consciousness…willing him to wake up.

'Help her you idiot!'

'What?'

'She is dying! Help her, now!'

'…who…' Naru was confused by what he was vaguely picking up in his half awakened state.

'WAKE UP!'

-----

Naru's eyes shot open at the sound of a loud crashing noise in the room. He quickly looked to his side and found it to be empty. "Damnit!" he cursed as he lunged up from the futon and toward the noise. He stumbled over to the monitors and saw what remained of one cluttered on the floor. 'So this is what fell…' Naru noted blankly as his eyes wandered to the other figure on the floor…'Mai!'

"Naru…" Mai called out hoarsely. "It…I…please…me…" she was trying to talk but the words still would not flow from her mouth correctly. Naru was at her side immediately. He was saying something but Mai couldn't really make it out in the state she was in.

"Mai hang on!" Naru yelled to the dazed girl that was bleeding on the floor. She had slit her own throat as well as her wrist. Naru propped the girl in his arms while ripping the sleeve off his shirt. He used the torn fabric to tie tightly around her neck. She made a strangled noise as he tightened the material but Naru ignored it and continued to apply pressure to the wound. He was already holding her wrist tightly with his hand trying to impede the blood flow. He quickly tied fabric there as well and replaced his grip once it was in place.

Mai winced in pain as the sensations finally reached her brain of what was going on. Naru was painfully holding on to her; to where she had cut her self. It hurt. "Hurts…" she whispered out as Lin and the others filtered into the room and gasped at what they saw.

"Hang on just a bit longer Mai, I know it hurts." Naru said sternly as he turned to his approaching teammates. "Lin, call a doctor and get him here immediately. I have a feeling Mai won't be able to leave this inn so we need him to come here and treat her. Ayako, go get some warm water and towels to clean this mess up. Bou-san and John, I need you to work on cleaning up this broken monitor." With his instructions issued Naru effortlessly lifted Mai into his arms and carried her away from the stained floor where she had lain.

He rested her gently down on the futon and cradled her in his arms. His breath was warm on her chilled skin. Naru noted when he touched her that her skin held no warmth. Her breaths were shallow and raspy. If he had been just a few minutes later Mai would have bled to death. She would have killed her self just like the girls before her…

Mai could barely keep her eyes open. She felt cold…lethargic. She had no energy and even the simple act of breathing was labored and difficult. It finally registered how close she had come to dying. She lost a great deal of blood and would have continued on in that way if not for the monitor falling and alerting the others to come.

Mai was scared…scared and what had just happened and what could have happened. She shivered against her will at the thought. She was surprised to find a warm, comforting embrace squeeze her gently at her action. Even though her eyes were slightly open she was not really registering much. She could dully feel the sting of the cuts on her neck and wrist. Something was holing her wrist tightly and putting pressure on her throat.

Under normal circumstances Mai would have felt frantic about feeling such constricting pressure around her neck, but in this situation she knew she was in good hands…literally. Through her daze Mai could see Naru's worried expression. His eyes said it all. He was extremely concerned and worried even though he was not letting it show in his outward appearance.

After a short while Mai could hear voices and noise filter in around her. It sounded as if someone was cleaning up the mess she had made. She felt a warm sensation on her skin…it felt nice. She noted that she never left Naru's embrace even when she realized the doctor had arrived. She could hear them talking before it was apparent that he was now working on her.

-----

Mai was rested flat on the futon and she could feel the sharp prick of a needle on the top of her hand. Her eyes opened slightly wider as she realized that the man was giving her an IV. She had always hated shots and IV's were the worst.

"I am going to give her this general anesthetic…it will put her out so I can mend up these lacerations…" The words filtered through Mai like a rushing cold river. She shot up suddenly and tried to move away but failed miserably.

"No! Please! I beg you! I don't want to sleep!" Mai pleaded from where she had flopped against Naru. She looked at the startled old doctor in the eye, tears streaming from her own. "I can't go to sleep! I…I…Can't!"

Naru fixed the doctor with a stare and communicated wordlessly his wishes. Slowly Naru brought his hand up to Mai's face and gently covered her eyes. "Don't worry, Mai. You are not alone. I will be right here with you…sleep…" he whispered softly into her ear.

"No…" she replied shakily and tearfully. Naru could feel the dampness on his hand; she was crying even more.

Naru looked down. The doctor was already pulling away a needle from the IV cord. He already administered the sedative. "Mai…listen to me. Listen to my voice…" Naru used his best calm and soothing voice, the one he often used to plant hypnotic suggestions, in as quiet a manner as possible. "Sleep…don't be afraid. I will be right here with you…don't be scared."

"Naru…" Mai breathed as he felt her slump forward. The drug had kicked in. She was unconscious.

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A/N: There you have it! Cute moments! awwww! Anyway, please review and I will update in a day or so since it was short! 


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: I hope every one had a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday! I know I did! I got a new computer! I can't wait! lol! Anyway, here is the next chapter, sorry it is another short one but that just means I will update faster! Still own nothing...

Please review!

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In under a hour the doctor had stitched up and sealed the slices, set up Mai to receive blood, and dosed her up with plenty of pain killers and fever reducers. He left with instructions to call him at the slightest change and that he would return tomorrow to check on her condition. Naru sighed as the man finally left.

"So are you going to fill us in on what happened?" Ayako asked angrily as she and the others took seats around the room.

"I am not really sure of what happened myself…" Naru answered honestly.

"Well, why don't you start off with what you do know?" Bou-san prompted. Naru fixed the older man with a glare but he was too tired to try and not comply.

"I went to sleep shortly after Mai did. Nothing seemed off or out of place. I awoke to the loud crashing sound of the monitor falling on the floor, which I assume woke all of you as well." The nodding of heads affirmed his statement. "When I went to investigate I found Mai on the floor…bleeding…with that box cutter next to her. She was trying to say something but it was incoherent gibberish for the most part. I couldn't make out anything she was saying very clearly."

"I thought we had more time before this happened…" John said meekly. "Didn't the inn keeper say that the girls did not kill themselves until five to seven days later? Isn't today only the third day?"

"I thought that as well" Lin added in while in thought. "We should have had at least another day."

"Does that mean something?" Masako asked.

"It could…" Naru sounded in thought as well. "It could mean something is spooked that we are here and thus decided to rush things along."

"Mai told me that if anything happened to her that I should leave…" Masako said offhandedly while looking at the unconscious girl on the floor. "She said I would be next…"

"We shouldn't take any chances." Naru looked at Lin in a knowing way.

"I agree." Lin answered back affirming his boss' wishes.

"Bou-san I want you to take Hara-san to the hotel that Madoka and Yasuhara-kun are staying at. It will be safer there."

"Sure thing." The monk looked at a slightly trembling Masako. The girl was clearly scared out of her mind at what had happened and even the slight possibility that she would be next had her terrified. "Get your things together, Masako. We can leave as soon as you are ready."

Masako nodded timidly before she and Ayako left the room to pack the medium's things. "We will be right back." Ayako called as they left.

"Sure they will…" Bou-san sarcastically replied before turning his attention back to the other men in the room. "So, what was the result?"

"It didn't move." Lin commented dryly. The hypnotic suggestion planted in the staff and other people involved the evening before had resulted in negative results. The vase that was suggested to move was still firmly within the circle drawn around it where it sat on the lobby table. It was untouched.

"So we are back where we started then?" John asked in concern. "That means it was not human influence…"

"Can an outside force be affecting the inn and therefore not include in the people we tested last night?" Bou-san asked as he sat down with a cup of coffee.

"What do you mean?" Naru's curiosity was perked.

"Well…I mean…could there be someone from outside this inn…preying on the girls here? Psychically?"

"What makes you lean toward the idea that it is a human and not a spirit, Bou-san?" John was now curious at the possibility as well.

"Well, it is not so much supported by any evidence. But time is running out and we have to look at what we have. There is hardly a spec of spiritual activity here and we have that confirmed. We tested to see if the people in the inn could be the ones at fault and that test turned up negative…so it is clear to me that the only other option is to start looking at possibilities outside of the inn."

"That makes sense." John looked over to Naru to see how the man was taking the idea. Naru was deep in thought processing the new idea.

"This town is a small resort village. As far as area is concerned there is not much to cover but the possibilities of places a person or spirit could hide while conducting its terror on this inn are endless." Naru said stiffly. It would be near impossible to pin point the location of something targeting the inn, especially if it was a man. And if it was a man…that person would not leave this village intact that much was certain.

"Well, why don't we at least set out into the village and start asking around to see if anything strange as been happening at any of the other inns or shops. That can at least get us started or give us a place to start looking." Bou-san offered the idea to Naru while he finished his coffee.

"Lin, make sure you all take cell phones so that you can get in touch with one another. I will leave it to you to coordinate with the others about where you will look. Bou-san can join you as soon as he is done dropping off Hara-san. It might be a good idea to enlist Madoka and Yasuhara to help. The more people the better in this case." Naru looked to make sure everyone had caught his instructions. They all nodded in understanding.

"Understood." Lin confirmed unemotionally already preparing to leave. It was not long before Ayako and Masako joined the room and were practically shuffled backwards out of the room right after they entered.

"Wait! Where are we going?" Ayako questioned as she was herded from the room with the flow.

"I will explain on the way. Are you ready Masako-chan?" He grabbed the bag from the girl's hand and started to walk to the entrance with the rest of the team.

"Yes."

"We will keep in contact with you Naru if we find anything. Call us if there are any changes here." Lin called as he vacated the room.

Naru nodded and replied with a slight scoff. Lin smiled slightly to him self. It was just like Naru to be moody and restless at a time like this. 'He really should show some more outward concern rather than keeping it all in. He is not fooling anyone…' Lin thought to him self as he got into his car.

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A/N: A little slow but we are getting to the final haul before tying things up! Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think! 


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Own...nothing... o.O

Anyway...I am pleased to say I finished this story tonight, ended up to be around 67 pages! This means I will probably be updating regularly from now on! YAY!

Okay, readers that have read "Lost Before the Dawn" what would you like me to start working on now? The prequel or the sequel? I have them both pretty much plotted out but I would like to get your input on which one you would rather read first. Please let me know so I can start writing, that way by the time I finish posting all of this story I will probably have a good chunk of whatever story you pick done and ready to post!

Thanks!

* * *

Mai found her self once again surrounded by darkness. She shuddered as she frantically looked around for anything…or anyone. But Mai saw nothing. Fear started to creep over her like a winter chill when the darkness began to fade to a blinding light. Mai closed her eyes tightly and tried to squint to see what was around her but saw only light.

'What the hell…' Mai said as she tried to cover her eyes with her hands and peer through her spread fingers. She was in a room; a very well lit room. 'What in the world?'

Before her sat a middle aged man, rather normal looking besides the twisted gaze of insanity in his eyes. He was doodling something on a pad of paper and jotting down notes in a log next to that.

'Yes, yes…that is what should happen…' he laughed cynically. Mai noticed that every thing looked typical…besides the dark aura that hung around the man. He was shrouded in darkness…a sinister cloud of something. Mai inched closer so that she could get a better look at what he was writing. Her eyes widened at what she saw. He was writing what was happening to her…the raping…the suicide…the inn. It was all jotted down in a rough draft type format on a yellow notepad. His sketch pad was littered with drawings and doodles of naked girls in provocative positions clearly done in some grotesque hentai style.

Mai gasped as she saw a page filled with doodles of a girl that looked exactly like her withering in pain and pleasure. 'It can't be…is this guy doing this to me?' Mai wandered around the room hesitantly. The guy was a pervert. There were disturbing hentai lined on his shelf and more folders containing written romance type novels.

'It's this guy…' Mai spun around quickly at the voice only to find herself face to face with her dream guide.

'What do you mean?' Mai looked back at the man. He looked normal enough, even for a pervert. He didn't seem possessed or anything.

'That dark cloud kinda gives it away.' Gene smiled slightly at the girl's confused expression.

'He is not possessed is he? What is that thing?' Mai moved away from the man and stayed as far from him as she could.

'No…I don't believe he is. But there is no doubt that he is behind all this. I don't know what it is, but I suggest you hurry and wake up.'

'Why?' Mai asked dumbly. She noted an envelope on his kitchen table. The address…

'There is no way to know what will happen next! You have to tell someone! You almost died last time!' Gene stated sternly, almost angrily. Mai was really dense sometimes. She really had no idea what she meant to some people...a certain idiot scientist to be specific.

'Yeah, yeah. I keep getting reminded of that. I got it. Don't worry. I will get back and tell someone…" Mai sighed. She was so tired of it all. If it was really this guys doing then Masako had been right. There was no spirit at all. Just some sick guy talking advantage of her. For some reason that made her violently ill to her stomach. Now the hands that had touched her were not some faceless entity. They were from a person…even if it was by some round about way.

-----

Mai's eyes shot open. Her head hurt and there was a stinging sensation on her arm. 'Ah…he got me…' Mai thought as she turned her head away. She didn't want to see the needles penetrating her…it would only make her want to pull them out.

"Did I wake you?" Naru's soft voice reached her ears and she looked to her other side. He was sitting next to her shuffling through some documents. He looked tired.

"No…" she said more weakly than she had intended. "I…"

"Is there anything you need?" Naru asked with uncharacteristic concern showing through in his voice.

"No…I…" Mai started but her voice was cracking. It was hard to talk…it hurt to talk.

"Don't push yourself. You can tell me later. For now, go back to sleep. You need more rest." Naru said as he placed a cool hand over her eyes.

'No! You don't understand Naru! I have to tell you something!' Mai screamed in her mind as the only sound she was able to produce was a strangled cough. "Know…who…doing…this…" Mai choked out. Tears ran down her face and onto Naru's hand. If she had been able to see she would have been able to take in the very shocked and somewhat malicious expression he was giving off. But as soon as he removed his hand from Mai's face his expression was back to normal.

Naru found himself in a rather difficult position. Mai had information but it was obviously painful for her talk, so it would be difficult for her to tell him what she knew. Her left wrist was slit and her right hand and arm was hooked up with blood and an IV…it would be hard to ask her to write what she knew. "Mai…I know it hurts to talk but can you try to tell me more?"

Mai nodded and motioned for him to get closer. To make it easier for Mai, Naru decided to cradle her close to him by raising her into a slightly inclined sitting position. Her head was resting gently on his shoulder with her face directly next to his own. "Is this okay?"

Mai nodded gently before shifting her head to the side so that she could speak directly into Naru's ear. She only hoped that he would be able to understand her. "It is a…guy…" Mai's voice was cracking terribly.

"We figured as much. The rest of the team is out looking around the town as we speak." Naru spoke softly. There was no need to speak any louder since she was so close to him.

"Next…" Mai coughed sending a jolt of pain through her entire being. Naru, sensing her distress, squeezed her tightly and rubbed her back with his free hand. Mai smiled inwardly at the gesture of affection; it felt so warm. "Town over…man…in apartment."

"The next town over?"

Mai nodded and continued, "he is writing…and drawing…what is going on." Mai drew in deeper breaths as she fought the urge to cough again. Her neck was hurting badly even though she was receiving pain killers. "321…large tree outside window…dark hair and glasses…"

"Is he psychic?" Naru was still having a hard time understanding how all the events that they had witnessed could have been caused by a man; a man that was not even in the same vicinity as the occurrences none the less.

"I…don't know…" Mai wheezed. "I saw…dark aura…around him. But…he didn't seem to be doing…it deliberately."

"Rest now, Mai." Naru gently rested the girl back down on her pillow and moved to jot down the information she had conveyed. If he hadn't been so focused on the information just presented to him, he may have had time to notice that warmth left on his ear from Mai's breath. Maybe even the heat his body was feeling or the tingling sensation he felt due to the close proximity she had been to him. But unfortunately Naru did not notice any of that since he was too busy pulling out a map of the area already trying to find the next nearest town.

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A/N: Well there you have it! For those of you that have read "Lost Before the Dawn" please let me know your opinion on what you would like to read next! Thank you so much! 


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Sorry, sorry this one is going to be pretty short! I probably could have been more descriptive...but well I am lazy! Anyhoo, please enjoy anyway despite the length and I will hopefully update tomorrow some time!

* * *

Lin paused when he heard his cell phone ring. "Hello?" he answered gingerly.

"I need you to pick up the others and come back here immediately." Naru's voice was stern but Lin could detect the slight tinge of urgency laced within his words.

"Is Mai alright?" Lin asked, concern seeping throughout his own words.

"Yeah, she is fine." Lin let out a sigh of relief. "She dreamt something and I want everyone back here so we can go together to check it out."

"Understood. We will return as soon as we can." Lin said shortly.

"Good." Naru cut off with out a word of goodbye. Lin wasn't surprised though since that was how the boy was. Without much further thought Lin went on his way to retrieve the rest of the team.

It was not long until the base room at the inn was occupied with the entirety of the SPR team. Naru had sat a map on the table in front of them.

"So what is this about Naru?" Bou-san asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"We need to go here." Naru said as he pointed to a small dot on the map.

"The next town over?" Ayako asked examining the spot on the document.

"Yes."

"What's there?" John leaned forward to get a better look.

"Mai told me she saw a guy in her dream. She seems to think that he is the one that is behind all that has been going on." Naru made sure everyone was following before he continued. "She said that we could find him in the next town over. We should head out and start searching as soon as possible. We don't know what else will happen if we don't hurry."

"Did she know if the guy is psychic or not?" Bou-san asked.

"She was not sure. But she said she could see a dark aura around him."

"Well then, I think we better go." Madoka voiced what everyone else in the room was thinking.

"Matsuzaki-san…" Naru fixed the miko with a stare and she stiffened under his gaze. "Stay with Mai and call if anything happens or changes."

"Sure…" there was no way Ayako was going to interfere with an angry man on a mission. It would be akin to signing her death wish. Naru rose and followed everyone out of the room. Ayako watched from the window and they drove off towards the next town that was close to 45 minutes away.

* * *

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* * *

Naru stalked up the narrow stair case of a modest three story apartment building. It had not taken them long to find the building that Mai had directed them too and Naru had close to an hour to go through all the possibilities that awaited them behind that door. Naru could only hope that he would be able to expel some of the dark, seething rage that had built up during the trip preferably on the occupant of the apartment he was currently standing in front of.

"Naru…" Bou-san sent a dubious glance over at the younger boy and then at the door. "What are you planning on doing?"

"…" Naru didn't reply but looked back at the monk with a heart stopping glare. The monk shivered and took a step back bumping into Lin who fixed the boy with an equally harsh look.

"We are not doing anything rash. Knock on the door and we will assess the situation from there." Lin was not just speaking, he was commanding. There was no way he was going to let Naru lose his control now of all places. It was true he and the organization had a great deal of influence, but Lin decided that if Naru killed someone out of anger there would probably not be anyway to get him out of it…and that was the last thing he needed; a broken teenage girl and a deadly, dangerous pissed off teenage boy in jail.

Naru scoffed but he knew Lin was right. He had to keep calm and conduct himself in a collected and professional manner if he was going to get any closer to the truth. Naru balled his fist and clutched tightly before gingerly knocking on the door of the apartment.

John and Bou-san stood off to the side and Lin remained firmly at Naru's side. Agonizing seconds passed by and Naru knocked again a little more forcefully, he really was not the type to be kept waiting.

Noises from the apartment began to filter through the door alerting the men that there was indeed someone within. A few moments later the door swung open revealing an obviously frustrated looking middle aged man.

"Yes?" the man spoke gruffly with an exaggerated hint of annoyance. He brought his free hand up to scratch at his unkempt hair.

"We need to ask you a few questions, may we come in?" Naru tried to speak as politely as possible but he could not hide the murderous intent that was laced in his voice. The man was visually shaken and took a step backwards.

"A-are you with the police or something?" the man stammered out while looking a bit shaken. "I haven't done anything…"

"We just want to ask you some questions, sir." Lin interjected in a much calmer and less menacing way. Though if it turned out that the man had anything to do with what had been done to Mai he would have to face a darkness no man should ever have to face.

The man looked uncertain and quite uncomfortable. "Um…alright…" he finally opened the door and allowed the four men inside. "Please come in…"

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A/N: Ah, Lin my voice of reason! Please let me know what you thought of it!

So far it looks like I am going to be working on the sequel to "Lost Before the Dawn" first and then the prequel. Though it was a close race! Who knows I might start writing and end up working better on the other one, so I guess we will have to wait and see how it turns out!


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Here is the next part! The plot thickens! Dun dun doooon!

Sadly, I still own nothing...though I wish I did...

By the way for those that might be wondering...the term 'hentai' basically refers to porn. Hentai can be anime (porn) or in novel or manga form. So it is basically dirty smut type stuff.

* * *

The men entered and the host ushered them into his modest sized kitchen where he sat them at his table. He stood looking uncertain, not sure what to do next.

"My name is Shibuya and I am the head of a psychic research center. Do you know about the incidents occurring at a hot springs inn located in the next town?" Naru spoke shortly and to the point. There was no time for formalities.

"Uh…well…I…" The man stuttered.

"Girls have been committing suicide after they have been raped. It appears that all the girls that have been targeted are virgins. The culprit, I am afraid, can not been seen and that is why we have been called in since the police are unsure of how to handle the situation." Naru fixed the man with a death glare.

The man stiffened. Lin noticed that his eyes widened at Naru's explanation. It was not just from shock…it was almost as if it was from…recognition. Lin observed the man once again now that Naru was finished. The man seemed more agitated and fidgety. He was hiding something…

"I am sorry to hear that. I did hear something about that on the news but it was very short and discrete. May I ask why you are talking to me about this?"

"We have reason to believe that you may know something about it…" it was Bou-san's turn to throw daggers at the man. "I think you do know something and I suggest you start talking before I make you talk…" the monk deepened his glare dangerously. The man shivered.

"Please sir…" John implored, "If you know anything, anything at all…please tell us. Our friend's life is in danger and we don't want any more girls to die. We are only trying to find the truth…"

The priest's words seemed to strike a cord within the man. He lowered his head and averted his gaze before shakily speaking. "You said the girls were virgins?"

"That is correct" Naru said icily.

"And that they were raped by something unseen…until…until they killed themselves?" He shifted his weight to his other foot but still refused to look at the men before him.

"That is also correct as I have already stated…" Naru was getting impatient. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

"And…the latest girl…she used a box cutter…" he breathed and the sitting men stared wide eyed. "She slit her wrist and her throat…but didn't die."

Bou-san was gripping at his pants tightly, visually shaking with anger. "How…how in the hell did you know that, you bastard!? Unless…you were the one that did it to her!" He was ready to beat the shit out of the guy but Lin's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Naru watched but said nothing. He was feeling similar sentiments as the monk as his screaming inner thoughts were displaying…but he kept quiet for now. Lin seemed to have more to ask and maybe by staying calm they would get him to say more.

"Sir…" Lin started making sure that the monk was firmly seated. "That is indeed what happened to our co-worker. We luckily found her before she bleed to death and were able to save her life with minimum damage to her body. She will make a full recovery in no time. However…she is still vulnerable to another attack unless we find out what is the cause of her misfortunes. We are here because we have reason to believe you know more than what we currently do and we would like you to share your knowledge with us. You have already proven that you do indeed know details of what is happening that we, nor no one else, have shared with you. How did you know?"

The man averted his gaze before he shuffled away into the other room. He soon returned with a stack of papers and manuscripts that he dropped in the middle of the table. Lin immediately stiffened as did the other men seated at the table…

"I…I'm a writer and I draw character sketches for my works…" he sighed as he shifted the papers on the table. "What you have told me…it is….well…from my latest story I have been working on."

"Story?" Naru looked darkly at the man and then at the pile of paper before him.

"Um…yes I write hentai. My story takes place at an inn where girls are accosted by an unseen source." The man sat down at the head of the table and grabbed a stapled document. "In the story they die and I have outlined it to be an erotic, supernatural type of story. Men that attend the inn will be…well…serviced by the ghosts of the girls that died. They are kept there by the ringleader source from the beginning of the story to please the male guests."

"That source you say is the ringleader…" Lin started while fixing the stack with a glare. There was definitely something wrong with the papers; something dark. "Can you tell us what exactly that source is?"

"Well, you know these types of stories are not really known for plot. I guess the closest thing you could compare it to would be a collection of emotions that took form; a dark entity…composed of lust, desire, craving, and passion. It is devoid of rationality, remorse or compassion. All it knows is sexual drive and need."

"Emotions that took form?" Bou-san questioned still a little confused about the concept.

"Uh…yeah. It is a faceless force. It is neither a person nor a spirit, but rather just a form of, well, perversion. It is hentai after all." The man explained.

Naru was listening in while looking through the paper provided. He was currently burning holes through a piece of paper that had naked sketches of a girl that closely resembled Mai. Naru was not one to keep up on popular culture but it did resemble the type and style of a typically drawn hentai manga. He scoffed. "Have you shown your manuscripts to anyone else?"

"Well, no. My editor has gone through the preliminary outlines but that is all. I assure you I have nothing to do with the events of my story being acted out! Why in the world would someone do what I have written!? It is fictional! These papers have not been out of this room and I have not had anyone in my apartment unattended recently either!" The man exclaimed frantically.

"We are not placing blame on you, Sir." Lin explained calmly while reading through a draft. He happened upon the page where the girl in the story was being molested in the bath of the inn…it was what had happened to Mai. Lin ground his teeth but refused to let his discontent show on his face. "I am not sure how but it would seem these pages are the cause. Unknowingly what you write on here takes place at a similar inn in real life."

"You mean to tell me what ever I write actually happens?" He stared at the paper before him.

"That is exactly what we are saying! We need to take these and exorcise them…immediately!" Bou-san exclaimed loudly.

"Take them!? But…but I have been working on this story for months!"

"We know, Sir." Lin said flatly, "six girls have already died and another was almost killed. We are well aware of your story. It needs to be destroyed as soon as possible so that no further damage can be done."

-----

In no time at all Naru and the others were heading back to the hot springs in silence. After a little arguing they had finally secured all the materials related to the girls and the inn. The man also professed to never write something of similar plot and if he did legal action would be taken against him. Lin and Bou-san purified his apartment and set up wards to prevent the attraction of any more perverted, dark, suspicious entities.

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A/N: We will find out later what Naru and the others did before they left...so don't worry about that! Questions, comments, reactions welcome! Please review!

For those of you who actually like 'hentai' (...like me...), there is this great site called 'hentaitraders' with the most amazing doujins and originals (hentai AND yaoi!!!!!!!!!!!!!). Check it out if you are interested! It is free!


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: I hope every one had a safe and happy New Years! Here is the next part!

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"Naru-san" John asked softly as they all found themselves driving back to the inn with the documents in Naru's lap. "That man wasn't possessed, nor was his place being haunted…but there is something very dark about those pages. What is it? I have never heard of such a thing…"

"Can the pages be possessed?" Bou-san asked sincerely. "Well, I mean…what the heck caused the words to come alive?"

"I can only assume that it was something similar to what that man was saying…" Lin explained calmly while he drove. "It seems as if what darkened the pages were things akin to malicious intent and emotions."

"Are you saying there never was a spirit?" John asked.

"We won't be sure until we meet back at the inn and discuss it with everyone. Hara-san will be able to tell us if the pages contain an actual spirit or not." Lin paused in thought before continuing, "Though I think it is just aimless dark entities that gathered together in the document."

The rest of the drive was relatively quiet and uneventful. They arrived at the inn by late afternoon. Madoka, Yasuhara, and Masako sat waiting for their return in the lobby down the hall from the base room.

"Welcome back" Madoka chimed as they entered through the entrance. "How did it go?"

She was answered with a stack of papers being slammed down on the table in front of her. Masako immediately paled and stiffened in her seat.

"What are these?" Yasuhara asked as he reached out to shuffle through the pages.

"No!" Masako warned frantically. Yasuhara's hand immediately stopped moving as everyone turned to look at the young medium.

"What do you feel Hara-san?" Naru questioned coolly.

"These papers are evil…" she breathed while giving them a cautious glare. "At one time…maybe even when these pages were trees…they were possessed with a spirit, or maybe even spirits."

"The paper is possessed then?" Bou-san asked incredulously.

"I did not say that. At one time maybe, but no longer." Masako replied shortly.

"Then what-" Bou-san was cut off.

"Everything that has happened at this inn is written on these pages. There are drawings as well. The harassment, the rape, the suicides…they are all depicted in those documents." Naru explained darkly.

"What was written down really happened here? How is that possible?" Madoka looked shocked. Someone was writing the story and it was really happening…

"Like I said" Masako started now knowing the significance of the documents, "at one time there was a spirit. The traces it left behind probably attracted the dark aura that is now occupying the paper. I can not say it is a spirit, but more like an accumulation of thoughts, regrets, and desires left behind from spirits no longer here."

"Then how could a mere collection of thoughts make written words become reality?" Yasuhara looked in thought. It was unlike anything he had ever heard before.

"I can not say for sure since I have never encountered such an occurrence before; but that aside we need to perform an exorcism to dispel the dark aura and then burn the material in accordance with purification." Masako finished softly.

"As more of the same aura gathered I suspect that it became stronger and as it did it became able to do more things. I gather it must have brought the words written on it to life in an attempt to draw out similar sentiments as it itself was created by." Lin explained solemnly while taking in the expressions of those around him. "It wanted to get stronger and so it preyed on people in the only way it could…by acting out what was written on its pages. It was convenient too…"

"In what way?" John asked curiously.

"The deaths it acted out from the story were perfect for producing emotions similar to those that created it. Sorrow, despair, pain, lust, and desire…the feelings produced from what the girls were forced to go through were strong and excessive." Lin clarified stoically.

It made sense. Somehow the entity had gained enough power to have some primal instincts and awareness. The only option it had since it occupied the sheets of paper was to use its force to act out the situations portrayed on it. By doing so it hoped to gain even more power, more skills…in nature it was a basic need. It did not require thought or any kind of consciousness, like a spirit might have had, but relied merely on instinct and need.

By killing in the way it did, the strongest emotions emerged and the resulting effect could possibly create similar entities to join it and make it stronger. The unknowing writer continued his erotic story not realizing his supernatural, dark romance plot was being played out in reality just 30 or so miles away in the next town. He continued to write and girls continued to die, fueling the sinister aura.

The vicious cycle probably would have continued if it had not been for Mai's dream. There would have been no reason to suspect a man so far away if she had not alerted them to it. Naru felt a deep sickening feeling in his gut. He was grateful to Mai for ultimately aiding them in the solving of the case, but something much greater had been lost…and it tortured him that she had to go through such a thing.

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A/N: I hope that helped explain what was behind this a little more! Almost to the end now! Please let me know what you think! 


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thank you so much to those of you that have reviewed! Some hot fluff in this chapter (sex in the next, which I think is the final chapter! Yay!) and so please let me know what you think!

I own nothing...

* * *

"I will leave the rest up to you" Naru said indifferently and turned heel heading toward the base. Behind his back the others were sharing questioning glances but decided it was best to not push the boy too much. They knew better than that. He had after all had to see something so terrible and traumatic; they all did and it weighed heavy on their hearts and minds. 

Naru walked quickly and pulled the door open to the base with slight trepidation. He knew he was going to have to face this at some time but his mind was still racing with all the possible things to say and the different scenarios that could occur.

He was relieved to see Mai sitting up in bed, alert and healthy looking. Ayako was even making her eat some food…that was a step in the right direction that was for sure.

"Ah, Naru! You are back!" Mai beamed happily. She had been worried sick the whole time he was gone; did he hurt someone, did he solve the case, was he okay? "How did it go?" She asked hesitantly. Ayako's expression mirrored the question.

"Fine" he replied apathetically. "Matsuzaki-san" Naru looked at the woman and she stiffened. "Go meet the others in the lobby. They can fill you in."

Ayako wondered momentarily if it would be okay to leave but decided that either way there was no arguing with Naru. He and Mai needed time to work things out anyway. She wordlessly rose to her feet and left the room, though not before giving Mai a hidden smirk.

Now alone, Mai panicked at the situation. She knew Ayako had just sent her the 'I-know-you-want-to' smirk before abandoning her to the black wolf that was Naru. "So…" she started carefully, "are you going to fill me in as well on what happened?"

Naru also decided that he had better select his own response carefully. He knew how polar Mai could be and he didn't want to set her off, especially while she was in this unstable condition.

"Do you want to take a bath?" He asked in all seriousness.

"What?" Mai stared at him blankly. Had he really just asked her what she thought he had asked her?

"I will help you get cleaned up so let's go." Naru said as he was already helping the girl to her feet. Mai was rather stunned and too confused to put up much resistance.

* * *

-----

* * *

Mai sat stiffly on the bed located in the room intended for the guy's use. She fiddled with the buttons on the long sleeve button down shirt Naru had tossed at her to wear just moments before. "It's strange wearing clothes again…" she mumbled to herself. It was an odd sensation but a much welcomed one. 

Naru had indeed followed through with what he said. He helped her to the bath located in the room which he only half filled with warm water. He sat her gently in the water and kneeled next to the tub ready to scrub her clean with the cloth he was holding.

Mai blushed furiously at the memory. 'I can do this myself!' she had cried in a flustered panic. She was already hyper aware of Naru and the situation was not helping that fact in the least.

'No you can't, idiot' he admonished in reply directing a glare at her bandaged wrist. 'That can't get wet and you are still too weak, just take it easy and let me do this.'

'But!' Mai tried to retort but Naru glared at her. She was already used to his glare so just that was not going to stop her. 'I feel a lot better now! I am fine to do this alone, really!'

Naru was unconvinced and was already tenderly and gently washing her other arm. Mai tensed at the contact. She was getting hot, not just from the bath either. Mai decided that this must be Naru's revenge on her for all the trouble she caused because this was torture.

Luckily Naru had left her sitting on the bed while he went to gather some first aid materials much to Mai's happiness. The bath had been the most tormenting and painful thing she had ever had to sit through, maybe even worse than being raped by some invisible thing that Naru had yet to tell her about.

The entire time Mai was tense and embarrassed. It was true he had already seen her completely so it was no use hiding anything now but the fact of what he had said before rang through her head at every touch and caress. He was not touching her per say, but he was washing her and Mai couldn't help but look at him while he focused on his task…and her mind wandered…

Mai was hot and bothered and yet there was nothing she could do about it. The bath had ended and just as Naru had stated she was clean and felt rather refreshed. He didn't do anything beyond cleaning her carefully and fully. He handled her with utmost care and concern.

It was rather strange to see him being so…stern. 'What was I expecting?!' Mai paled at the thought. 'Did I want him to violate me in the bath!? Some perverted wash game that lovers do!' Mai flung herself backward to lay flat on the bed. 'What the hell am I thinking? It is entirely his fault for saying that to me! Now I am all confused!' Mai shrieked at herself slightly flailing around on the bed.

"Mai?" Naru's indifferent voice rang through the room pulling her from her raging inner thoughts violently. She blushed despite her self when she rose slightly to look at him. "Is there something wrong?"

"No!" Mai tried to prop herself up with her hands from the bed to assure him that her state of being was more than fine and that he should not worry about her flailing he undoubtedly had just witnessed.

Unfortunately her wrist was not fine and therefore could not hold her weight when she tried to prop herself on it and gave way as soon as she tried. Mai gave a soft gasp as she flopped back onto the bed unceremoniously. A flush crept over her face, 'that didn't go as well as I had hoped…'

"Idiot…" he mused as he sat on the bed next to her. "I told you to take it easy and not to push yourself. These wounds are never going to heal if you keep doing stupid things to re-injure yourself."

Mai snarled. What an ass! She was about to yell at him about always saying such mean things to her when she realized he was holding onto her arm firmly. He wordlessly pulled her into a sitting position and then spun her on the bed and pushed her back down again so that she was now laying with her head on the pillow and her feet toward the end of the bed. 'What in the world…'

"Don't move too much or you might hurt yourself" Naru reminded her coolly. He quickly and efficiently re-bandaged her sprained ankle, applied new compresses and band aids to her various bruises and scratches, and checked over the dressings done by the old doctor. "There" he stated when he finished.

"Thank you…" Mai said quietly. Even though Naru had already finished with what he was doing, he was not leaving. He sat at the edge of the bed and just…stared. Mai started to fidget and shift her attention to anywhere other than the intense look of her boss. "W-what?" she finally stammered out. She couldn't take it anymore.

Naru said nothing but allowed him self to flop down to his side and land atop the girl. He brought his arms around her and squeezed. Mai flushed deeply and faltered with her words. "N-naru! What…wha…what are you doing!?"

"Don't move, I told you already didn't I? You will hurt yourself if you struggle." He smirked deviously as he lifted his head slowly to look at Mai in the eyes. Her eyes widened and Naru's smirk broadened. "I do not say things in jest, Mai…I meant what I said."

"But! But Naru…I…I'm…hurt!" She desperately tried to push the downward spiraling thoughts in her head away. "We…you can't!"

He grinned, "I can and I will, Mai." Naru's hand was already inching up the shirt she had borrowed from him not five minutes before. "Don't struggle…" he said softly in response to her squirming actions, "we don't want you to aggravate those wounds…"

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A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! It was a good place to stop...even though I am sure everyone wants to see them...you know... O.o 

I will update soon I promise! Please review! I love reviews!


	17. Chapter 17 End

A/N: Yay! Final Chapter!!!! I have started to write the sequel to LBD but give me a week or so before I post anything (new computer setup). Suggestions, story ideas, plots, and comments are always welcome! If you like my writing style check out the one shots I will be posting this week and next! They are all request stories from friends!

Thank you to everyone that has followed this story! I almost didn't post this but I am glad I did! THANK YOU!

Warning: Contains SEX!

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Mai scowled. She was trapped. There was no way she could get out of the situation, not that she really wanted to get out of the situation…but…but still! Naru was already on top of her straddling her and therefore preventing her from moving. She was too weak to push him off or even really offer much verbal protest…considering that her rational side completely shut down as soon as he started to touch her. I guess it is as they say, 'you can't force the willing' and not so much to her dismay she most entirely was willing considering the sight before her.

Naru was caressing her body lightly, barely touching her skin. Her skin seemed to tingle and burn every place that he touched. He started to trail kisses down her exposed skin, where the shirt had gone to was a mystery to her but she didn't much care at the moment. All she knew was that Naru was touching her, his warm body and lips were touching her, and she didn't want it to stop.

Mai laced her fingers in his hair, gently encouraging him closer. Naru grinned into Mai's skin when he felt the contact, he had waited so long for this after all and he was hell bent to enjoy it to the fullest.

His grin deepened when he felt Mai moan with pleasure as his hand found its way into her, massaging and rubbing gently. He trialed his other hand over her fevered flesh and his lips found hers and took them eagerly.

Mai pushed up to him reciprocating the kiss willingly, her hips bucking into his hand. "Naru…" she breathed as he broke off the kiss and smiled at her. Her body still tingled sweetly from his passionate kisses and she blushed at the look he was giving her. "Hurry…" she pleaded while fiddling with his shirt.

Naru took her hand from his shirt and smirked. "Do you really think you can handle me Mai?" He asked devilishly.

Mai gulped at the sight before her. In mere moments Naru had unbuttoned his pants and was now inching his shirt up and off his pale body. It was by sheer willpower that Mai did not have a nose bleed right then and there. She knew Naru was handsome…but the image before her was beyond anything she could have ever imagined. His pale skin was blushed slightly from excitement and it contrasted his eyes and hair in the most amazing way. He was, for lack on any other word, sexy…

"Mai…" he spoke in the most seductive tone he could muster, which was incredibly seductive if he did say so himself. He breathed on her ear and nipped at her skin while he made his downward trek toward his goal all the while crawling agilely from atop her.

Mai could have climaxed right then. The feel of his breath, the sound of his voice, it left a prickling fevered sensation throughout her entire body but before she knew it Naru was already off of her and between her legs positioning him self.

Mai stared dazed at the half naked boy. His pants were falling off his hips and Mai could clearly see how excited he was. "Naru…" she panted his name.

"Mai" he said as casually as he would if he had called her name in the office, "don't move. You don't want to hurt yourself any more than you already have."

There he went again. Making it sound as if she had somehow been at the root cause of all this; that she actually wanted to get hurt or something. Mai decided she really must have some kind of sign above her head that said 'please attack me' or something. She scoffed at his aloof look he was giving her. 'Really he is like a kid or something…'

Before she could continue her thoughts she recoiled backwards slightly as Naru entered her and began to move slowly. In that instant Mai's mind went blank. The heat and passion were overwhelming, so different from what she had to go through before.

"Naru!" She breathed as she reached up to grab him close to her. Her head was dizzy just from looking at his face, not to mention the rest of his body. He was so warm. Naru started to quicken his pace, his face glistened with sweat and Mai was happy to see an expression on his face that she had never seen before. Was he happy?

"Mai…are you okay?" He asked softly as he continued to thrust rhythmically. He gently placed kisses down her neck and collar bone.

"Fine…" she whispered into his hair that she was currently grasping. She was feeling it, oh was she feeling it. "Naru!" she gripped into the bare skin of his back tightly. Her call was met with his lips fervently claiming her own. Mai knew they were both almost at their limit. It wouldn't be long now.

Mai arched her back and squeezed into Naru's exposed chest, he grunted a low and tantalizing moan as he climaxed and settled at her side. Mai's body continued to tingle and shiver with a sweet sensation as she tired to calm herself down. She felt Naru brush a warm hand across her face.

"Are you alright?" he asked calmly. Naru was resting on his side and examining Mai carefully for any signs of pain or distress. He really shouldn't have lost control like he did, but he couldn't wait any longer. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her or cause her any more trouble than she was already having. He was glad to see Mai blushing softly with a pleasant smile plastered on her face.

"Yeah, I am okay." She turned to face him the smile never leaving her face. "I thought you would be more forceful…"

Naru raised a brow at her. Did she really think… "Why would you think that?" he questioned in amusement.

"Well, I just thought…that would be more like you…or something…" her confused expression brought a smile to his face.

"I can be gentle when I want to be" he said arrogantly. He was met with a scoff.

"Well, this is the first time I have seen it!" She laughed lightly. "But I am glad…I think I like this side of you…"

"You don't like the other side of me?" he smirked playfully.

"That other side of you usually pisses me off, annoys me, or mocks my intelligence…what could I possibly like about that!?" She replied in mock anger.

"You are a horrible liar, Mai. You are so easy to read, like a book. You display your thoughts clearly on your face." He teased and she blushed deeply.

"…I know you like reading books…"

"Yes I do…"

"Good…"

"Are you sure you are alright?" Naru repeated. He was still concerned about the way she was dealing with everything that had happened, or rather the fact that she was not dealing with it.

"Yeah, I told you so! You were good. Though if you really want to know I think anyone would have been better than what I had before. Based on the standards I have to compare it to you were great!" She laughed to herself.

"I don't want you to ever compare me to anyone else. I want to be the only one…" he said seriously. "You can cry you know. Everything you went through, all that was done to you…I think you should tell me what you are really feeling. It is not good to keep it all in."

"I think you need to take your own advise." She muttered softly, cheeks flushed and eyes averted due to the first part of his statement. "It sucked what happened…but it's done and over with. I am alive and no harm was done. Are you going to tell me what you found? Was it that guy?"

"There was harm done. Mentally and physically you were harmed and yet you are acting as if it was nothing." Naru pointed out sternly. "And yes, if you must know, that guy was writing a story on cursed paper. What ever he wrote came to be and that just so happened to take place at this particular inn to virgin girls."

"Cursed paper?" Mai asked confused. "So, it wasn't really his fault. He didn't know what he was writing was causing so much harm."

"Correct." Naru confirmed. "Lin and the others have already taken care of it. There is nothing left to worry about."

"You didn't…" she started hesitantly.

"I didn't do anything. Lin and Bou-san were with me." He watched a relieved expression wash over Mai's face. She didn't have to know that the man did not remain intact after they left, though Lin prevented him from beating the guy to a bloody pulp but he did get in a few gratifying hits that reduced the man to a crumpled heap on the floor. Naru was disappointed that he was unable to inflict more pain than what he had on the man, since the pain he caused was nothing even close to the suffering and pain he caused the girls and their families with his writings.

"Good…he didn't know what he was doing." She mused slightly.

'Damn her kindness' Naru thought darkly to himself. He wanted nothing more than to kill that guy. Ignorance was no excuse. No, death was too easy; after he killed him he would curse him to endless torment and pain in the afterlife, yes that was deserving punishment. "Why…" Naru thought through his words carefully, "did you act the way you did?"

Mai looked at him stunned for a moment before she let her gaze fall. "I didn't want to cause anyone trouble…or make anyone worry."

"You just succeeded in making everyone worry about you more with the attitude you took."

"Yeah, but after I lost my mom I have been alone. I had to deal with everything alone and it is hard for me to change my way of thinking so easily. I am not used to having people around me that will worry for me…"

"You are a fool…" he responded and softly hit the top of her head with the back of his fist. "You have people that care about you now so stop being such an idiot."

"Why you bastar-" she was cut off by Naru's deep kiss that left her breathless. Naru pulled away from her and offered a smile before he got off the bed and started to dress.

"I am going to check and see how the packing is going. Stay here and rest. I will come get you when it is time to leave." He said almost sweetly as he stepped out of the room and walked toward the base.

Before he left Mai could clearly hear him say to the closing door that they were going to finish the conversation when they got home. Mai blushed and squealed into the pillow. 'I wanted to save you from your problems…to become stronger to protect you, but you are always the one saving me…thank you Naru' Mai whispered into the fabric of the bed.

-----

Naru waltzed into the base room where the rest of the team was busy packing up equipment and supplies. No matter how hard he tried he was unable to erase the grin plastered on his face. He had finally gotten Mai and she seemed to reciprocate his feelings fully. He couldn't ask for anything more than that.

He was not satisfied with the vague answers she had given him, but he decided that for now he would let it go. He would slowly work out her problems, fears, and wounds gradually from here on out. Together he would get her to open up and that way he would be able to help heal the wounds and scars left behind from the incident.

Yes, together...Naru decided he would never let her deal with problems alone again. She was no longer by herself and he would make sure she got that fact imprinted into her mind.

"Naru!" Bou-san turned around and gave his boss a once over. A knowing smirk appeared on his face. "Ohhhhh! Congrats…oh to be young again…" the monk mused as he patted Naru roughly on the back earning him a withering glare.

As annoyed as he was it didn't take long for Naru's smirk to return. "Ha," Naru chuckled softly, "don't you wish you were me?" he said sarcastically before turning around and heading back to the door. "You shouldn't be wasting your time talking, hurry and get everything packed so I can leave."

With that Naru strode from the room apathetically leaving a fuming monk in his wake. "Why that little bastard!" Bou-san called after Naru had left. John tried to pacify the man while Lin just continued to pack the supplies with a hidden smile on his face.

You know you are in love…

When his every movement captures your attention…

When the pain is nearly as strong as the joy…

You know you are in love when you are with him and no matter where you are or what you are supposed to be looking at - the rising sun, the setting sun…

…all you see is the light reflected on his hair…

"Shadow of Nothing"

-End-

* * *

A/N: Well? I wasn't sure how to end it and I didn't want to drag out a lengthy 'work-out-the-emotional-trauma' conversation...so I implied it and left it at that! I will say there is an x-rated version of this last part but I really toned it down for here, I hope it still sounded okay and was good to read! I thought it was easy to follow and was clear enough to imagine! But that is just me...

So, anyway...thank you all again for reading and look forward to my next story and one shots! Comments welcome!


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